The Original Age
by Felflowne
Summary: We all know about Operation Meteor, but what about it's elder sister Operation, Operation Umbra? Why was Operation Meteor even begun? OC Alert! Chapter 11uploaded! Includes some really cool mobile suit battle scenes! Please R&R!!
1. Warped Reality

The Original Age Part 1 - Warped Reality ****

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew!

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Censor PG-13 for violence and swearing

**The Original Age Part 1- Warped Reality

By Espion

**__**

AC 191 - Oceasia

The early evening light shafted onto the face of a girl with long chestnut coloured hair who was standing on the balcony inside the hall of Brickwall. The girl didn't blink or move, but merely stood, and waited. Some sixth formers walked past and one stared for a second at the lonely seeming Year 7 leaning against the back wall of the balcony, but then his eyes slid away from her, and she was forgotten in an instant.

The girl's name was Emma Kentley, and she was twelve years old. She wasn't stunningly pretty, and possessed no unusual features that set her apart from others her age. At that moment, she seemed to notice the light on her face for the first time, and moved away. She glanced at her watch. 4.15pm. School had ended a quarter of an hour ago, and the sixth formers she'd seen were on their way to a Drama rehearsal. She leaned her head back against the rough brick wall and closed her eyes.

**

'Are we nearly there?' squealed Anya Reo, bouncing in her seat. Her sister, Hayley, who was sitting next to her, pushed her firmly back into her seat and restrapped her in. The girls' father, Senior Chancellor James Reo, looked up from the Newsdoc he was reading and smiled at his seven year old daughter's antics. He unclipped his own safety belt and stood up, stretched, then put his Newsdoc on his vacated seat. The flight from Colony C-76 was a long one, but it was nearly over.

'I'll go and ask the pilot, shall I sweetie?' he said as he walked toward the front of the civilian shuttle. The Reo family unanimously agreed that the private transport systems the Union had tried to implement for its members weren't as comfortable, in both senses of the word, as normal passenger jets, and although the Union had made protesting noises about the low level of security on the aforementioned craft, Chancellor Reo had simply told them that 9 out of 10 people who met him or his daughters in the street wouldn't recognise them, and so that was that.

Hayley watched as her father made his way down the aisle towards the cockpit. She yawned. The family was on their way to the Mauna Loa conference, to decide what was to be done over the recent brutal attacks against workers from the colonies who were working on Earth. She'd heard that an organisation that conveniently had no name was planning to take matters into its own hands. She looked out into space and smiled. She wondered if she'd ever be able to help the war effort, should a war between the colonies and the unfair organisations of Earth break out. She had never told anyone about how she'd once shot a man who, she had suspected, was stealing data. Hayley had first realised something was wrong when the man arrived. The way in which he got out of his Hovercar was...cold. Everything about him was cold, and she didn't understand. No one like this had ever visited the colonies before. She had seen the strange symbol on his jacket sleeve, a sort of O and Z close together. She'd then shadowed him into the data protection room of the local Colony Control building, seen him hacking into the computer, and laughing. Hayley remembered the feeling of rage that had swelled up inside her like an angry pufferfish at this blatant example of foul play. Hayley was incredibly loyal to her birthplace, and simply couldn't stand to see this. She had decided to do something about it. The vast majority of girls her age would have run for assistance, but Hayley's instincts, inexplicably, were very different. She reached into her pocket and drew her revolver. 

**

A boy walked slowly down the corridor of Brickhall, looking neither left nor right. His eyes remained firmly trained on the ground. As he drew level with the balcony, he raised his eyes from the carpet of the corridor and made eye contact with Emma, who began to make her way towards him. It was 4.30pm. Emma smiled as she reached him, and he nodded, but didn't smile back. They began to walk down the corridor together. Suddenly Emma stopped walking and looked out of the window. The boy, upon realisation that she was no longer walking with him, turned back and coughed.

'Emma?'

'I was just wondering about the new pilot. I wonder what he or she'll be like.'

'Hasn't he told you?' replied the boy, moving to stand next to Emma at the window, 'it's gonna be a girl, and apparently he's been trying to trace her for months. She shot an Oz operative when she was nine, but as she's the daughter of an important politician, it was hushed up.'

'He hasn't had any contact with her at all?' asked Emma, surprised. That wasn't like him, to go for someone who'd performed just a random act of bravery.

'He's been trying to get a digilink to her laptop for three months.' said the boy quietly, 'but he hasn't managed it yet.' 

'Oh, I've heard of this girl,' said Emma, suddenly remembering, 'I came across her when I was doing research into prospective allies around a couple of months ago. It didn't even have a picture, all it had was a statement from the girl that we managed to get before she was swept away, and that was, 'Don't hush it up, make people take notice of what's going on.''

The boy looked at Emma, who was now leaning against the windowsill and looking out across the Eoar valley.

**

Hayley recalled how the man had looked up from what he was doing and seen the gun in this mere child's hand. He'd snorted, and retrieved his disc from the Intranet Processor.

_'Turn around.'_

_'Huh?'_ He'd turned, with a surprised look on his face, and then she'd shot him. She remembered the noise his body had made as it flopped to the floor. A sort of soft, wet bump. She walked over to him, and retrieved the disc from the dead man's pocket without any sign of revulsion, nor remorse for what she'd just done. 

_'There's no honour anymore for your generation.' she'd whispered to him as she pocketed the disc, 'but what does it say about me, that I still wouldn't shoot a man in the back?'_

** 

Emma Kentley followed her pre-teen comrade downwards, deeper into the school building. She didn't really need to follow him, as she could've walked this route in her sleep, but as the corridors were narrowing, following one another was more sensible.

The eleven year old boy slid his hand into a crack in the wall and winced slightly as the hidden needle extracted a blood sample and analysed it quickly to confirm his identity.

'DNA and haemoglobulous scan completed. Identity confirmed. Trensa MacInrae.' pronounced the hidden device in the familiar monotone. An inconspicuous looking combination lock a few lockers away clicked quietly open, and Trensa walked over and opened it as Emma's identity was also confirmed by the machine. Her door was the locker next to Trensa's, and as she moved towards it, Trensa swung himself into his locker, which slammed and mysteriously relocked after him. Emma followed suit, and soon, there was absolutely no sign that the two had ever been there. No fingerprints. Nothing.

**

Hayley suddenly felt her neck and arms tingle, and was instantly alert. She noted that her father had gone to speak to the pilots over ten minutes ago, and the almost-familiar cold tendrils of fear began to wind themselves around her neck. She told her younger sister that she was going to the toilet, and unclipped her safety belt. She slid into the aisle, disturbing no one, and began to jog towards the cockpit.

As Hayley began to turn the door handle, she heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked and then another. Fear completely evaporated, and in its place was cold, hard determination. She gently released the door handle, and quickly dropped to the floor and looked under the door.

Two masked men were dragging away the limp, dead body of one of the pilots, and the other pilot was lying slumped against the far side of the room, battered and unconscious but still breathing. Suddenly a loud thump made her jump, and she realised that it must be coming from the pilots' bathroom.

_Dad_ she thought.

**

Emma landed in a crouch about 50 yards from Trensa, then straightened. Trensa caught her eye, then cocked his head towards a window about halfway up the side of the huge hangar they'd arrived in, which was about 15m up. Inside the small room, a short man was beckoning and pointing to his computer excitedly. 

'I wonder what he's come up with,' said Trensa, beginning to run towards the lifts. He waited as Emma jumped onto the hovering pad and then said firmly, 'Fifteen metres.' The pad shuddered, then rose until it was level with the window to the small control room. The man opened the window section and let Trensa and Emma into the room.

'What is it? Why did you send for us?' asked Emma eagerly, 'is it the new pilot? Is she here?'

'Calm down Emma,' said the man, tapping at his keyboard again for a second. 'Look at this.'

They looked at the 3D image proj. file he'd just opened. It was rotating on the screen, as all such files did, and it was quite clearly a mobile suit. Emma took a sharp intake of breath.

'Who is it?' she asked quietly. She always did that, Trensa had noticed, refer to mobile suits as if they were alive.

'This is Espion.' said the man, grinning alarmingly. Trensa looked up. 

'There's something else,' he said slowly, 'because I know you wouldn't have sent for us just to show us a pretty picture.'

'Oh Trensa,' laughed the man, 'you know me too well. You'll make a fine soldier! Yes, yes, there's something else, something else...Hee hee....' 

He shuffled away towards the main hangar control panel, set in the wall behind a panel. He slid the panel aside, and flicked on the main floodlights. The hangar was instantly saturated with brilliant light, which seemed to even shine around objects, leaving no shadows visible. There in the hangar stood what they'd just been looking at on the computer screen. 

**

_This time it's different,_ thought Hayley, _because I can't just go in and kill them, they've got Dad and the other pilot as hostages._

She crouched and thought frantically. _Calm down, _she told herself firmly, _figure out why these men are here at all. Hijackers, they must be hijackers. But hijackers generally make the pilot fly them wherever they want, and they don't usually kill anyone. _

At that moment, the craft gave a sickening lurch downwards. Hayley grabbed at nearest object she could brace herself on, the door handle, and fell into the cockpit.

_Oh shit._

The men suddenly looked up, and realised they were on view to every single passenger on the ship.

__

Several passengers were now screaming. Initially this had been because of the dip of the shuttle, but now, on top of this, they now knew there were murderers on their vehicle....and no one was actually flying the shuttle anymore.

One of the men aimed his automatic weapon at Hayley, but she swung her leg around and knocked his legs out from under him. The shot peppered the ceiling. More passengers began to scream. Hayley snatched the weapon from the fallen hijacker and aimed it at his partner. Her hands didn't shake as she levelled the gun at him. The hijacker laughed weakly.

'Okay, I surrender...' he said, putting his own weapon on the floor and kicking it towards her across the floor. Hayley was about to reach for it when she noticed his face under his mask twist into an ugly grin. She instantly spun around and hit the hijacker whose gun she'd stolen with the butt of his own weapon on the back of the neck as he lunged towards her. There was a terrible crack, and he fell to the floor, never to get up again. She turned back to the terrorist who'd tried to trick her and shot him before he could spew any more crap. Having done this, she turned back towards the door, which, to her immense relief, had swung shut, hiding her from view. She swiftly dragged the two dead hijackers into a small storage cupboard, so the passengers wouldn't have to see them. 

At that moment, she was alerted by a blinking light on the shuttle dashboard. The emergency autopilot had come on when the terrorists had originally attacked the pilots, but now it was about to cut out. To be more precise, it was going to cut out in thirty seconds.

**

Emma raced to the window and opened it, and without waiting for the Hoverpad lift, jumped. Just as Trensa was about to follow, he heard the Doctor mutter, 'I don't know where you two get your energy from...'

Emma landed, quiet and catlike. Trensa made slightly more noise as he landed.

'You should make your contact time with the ground longer,' Emma told him as they made their way towards the huge mecha, 'because you'll never be able to drop down behind someone unnoticed if you make that much noise.' Trensa rolled his eyes, but took note of the tip. Emma had been training for almost a year longer than he had, since she was five, and he had a deep respect for her.

Emma put her hand on the cold Gundanium bodywork of Espion, and felt its power. Trensa envied her being able to do that, as the Doctor had told him that it was a skill that could never be learnt. He himself admired the magnitude of the four-legged mecha. 

Espion was around 18 metres tall, and quite obviously modelled on a horse or a dog. _Most likely a horse, _thought Trensa, as the head was most definitely that of a horse, only lacking ears. It had no tail. This made sense, Trensa realised, as it would serve no useful purpose, and only make the suit heavier and less agile. There was one very prominent thing missing 'though...

Trensa turned as the Doctor joined them.

'It has no weapons,' he said. The Doctor nodded. 

'That is almost correct, Trensa,' he replied, 'more than any other suit I've built, this one relies on the capabilities of the pilot to fight using the limbs of their suit. Do you understand?'

Trensa shook his head. 

'No Doctor, I don't. A mobile suit with no fighting capabilities is of no use to us.'

'Ah, I didn't say it had no fighting capabilities,' said the Doctor. 'Have you ever seen a dogfight, Trensa, or two wild stallions fighting for dominance? Those animals have no weapons except those they were born with.'

Emma took her hand away from Espion and grinned.

'Trensa was born with an M16 in his hand,' she quipped. Trensa growled, but Emma just laughed. She had known Trensa since they were toddlers, even before they had begun their training, even before there had been need for anyone to be trained. 

As she turned back to Espion, she remembered how it had all begun. The Doctor, the man who'd brought up Emma and Trensa as brother and sister, even though they weren't, since finding them about to be put to sleep at the orphanage when they were toddlers, had come to them both one morning, and told them in no unsure terms that he and several others colony-dwellers like him, were tired and angry with being tyrannically ruled by the Earthsphere Alliance and its cancerous daughter Organisation, the fledgling Oz organisation, and had decided to send arsenals to Earth to settle the score. The year had been AC 184. Emma had begun her training immediately, but the Doctor had to convince a jealous Trensa that he couldn't start until he was at least five as well. The training was basically shortening their reaction times, and making sure they stayed fit, at first. He hadn't spotted the new-born baby that Trensa had tried to bring along as well. She'd been left on the orphanage floor. 

When they'd been seven and eight, the Doctor had taken them out of their school, and tutored them himself from then on, and intensified their training. They hadn't been children brainwashed by adults, they understood their cause perfectly, and were eager to complete their training, which had now diversified to include combat training. Things such as martial arts, and how to handle the different types of weaponry. Emma reflected how, she had enjoyed the martial arts section more, whereas Trensa had been very eager to get to grips with weapons. However, in spite of their differing preferences, they had both excelled at each section. 

The Doctor had told them from the very beginning, that when they were old enough, they would be given their own mobile suit each, and sent on carefully planned missions against Oz. The Doctor had predicted that Oz would grow to overthrow the Alliance at some point, and so there would be no need to attack the Alliance. Emma and Trensa, despite their high levels of intelligence, had less of a grasp on the political situation as the adults did, and believed the majority of what the adults told them about this side of the fight.

_And now the training's nearly done, _thought Emma. 

**

Hayley darted over to the bathroom door, and opened it with a powerful kick to the lock. Her father stumbled out, clutching at a gash on his forehead.

'Hayley-Bear?' he muttered. It was his pet name for her. Hayley checked his pulse.

'Yes Dad, its me. Sit here and rest, you've got a nasty head wound.' She propped the Senior Chancellor up against the far wall, next to the surviving pilot. He showed no signs of regaining consciousness. Hayley suddenly realised what she was going to have to do. She lowered herself into the pilot's empty chair and pulled the radio headpiece over her head. She had ten seconds left before the autopilot disengaged, and she would be left alone to land the shuttle as best she could. Strangely, she felt little fear, as she had a basic understanding of the controls of the craft, because she had taken lessons in flying, and her teachers had assured her that she was a natural. However, she hadn't had the lives of fifty people riding on her abilities before.

_I'm not going to let anyone get hurt, _she told herself firmly. Then the autopilot flashed one last time and then died.

**

'Work has already begun on Eron, which will be your suit, Emma.' said the Doctor, 'but work has yet to be begun on your suit, Trensa, called Felflowne. This suit, Espion, will go to our new arrival. These suits are incredibly complicated, and nothing like them will have ever been seen by Oz or the Alliance before. This will give you the cutting edge you will need. The system in the cockpit has the capability to bond with its pilot, so that, in effect, the pilot will then become the only one who can control that suit.'

He paused, and looked at the two young pilots-to-be, just to make sure nothing was lost on them, as this information was very important.

'As for weapons, Espion has only one real weapon, to speak of, and that's its beam sabre, located here.' He tapped the nose of the mecha, which was touching the ground. The sharp sound of metal against metal seemed to echo around the hangar. A small round hole about a metre wide slid open, and the Doctor continued, 'When the sabre is activated, it will be around four metres long. Do you understand why I am telling you all of this?'

They both nodded.

'Why?' he asked.

'It's important we know as much about our comrades' suits as we know about our own,' said Trensa, in his slight drawl, 'to give us as much chance of fighting effectively together as possible.' 

'Did you eat the 'Book of Answers to the Doctor's Questions' for breakfast?' gasped Emma. Trensa made a despairing motion with his hands, and the Doctor smiled.

'Come on, you two. Don't fight. We are hoping to get a positive connection in some way with the new pilot tomorrow.'

'Doctor,' said Emma, 'what if she doesn't want to join us?'

**

Hayley felt the strain as the weight of the civilian shuttle was suddenly attached to her young arms. Liquid fire seemed to lick over the viewscreen as the craft began its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Hayley kept the nose at as gentle an angle as she could, as a dive at such high speeds would be catastrophic. As the vehicle cleared the initial strata of the Earth's many-layered atmosphere, Hayley turned on the equilibriators, which would help her steady the shuttle. After a surprisingly short time, she could make out individual cities. She suddenly realised that she didn't really know how to land the shuttle. She made a quick decision. Sure, it wasn't very polite, but...

'HEY! HEY! WAKE UP!!!!' she yelled unceremoniously at the pilot. 

'Wha...What?' muttered the pilot.

'I need you to tell me where the emergency brakes are.' said Hayley, in as polite and calm a voice as she could muster.

'Br..Bra...second from left....Top...' he promptly slumped again.

Hayley looked at the viewscreen again. She spotted a field that was very long and thin. That had to be it, there was no time to find anywhere more appropriate. She pulled the nose as level as she could and began the landing procedure. Then, to her infinite relief, a mechanical voice from somewhere within the depths of the ship's computer intoned, 'Landing procedure initiated,' and switches began to move of their own accord. She sank back into the pilot's chair, and flipped the emergency brakes switch. The shuttle, now guided by its own computer, bounced lightly as it hit the field, and began to taxi to a standstill. Hayley jumped out of her seat, even though she felt completely drained, and crouched down beside her father.

'Dad. Dad!' she shook him lightly, and he opened his eyes.

'Are we safe, Hayley-Bear?' he asked fearfully.

'For now, Dad.'

Hayley walked over to the co-pilot and helped him to his feet. She suddenly realised how lucky she'd been. No one had seen her pilot the shuttle, and, unless she said otherwise, the passengers of the shuttle would assume that the co-pilot had fought off the armed terrorists and saved the Senior Chancellor and his daughter. His lack of recollection would be attributed to his head wound. She took a deep breath, and opened the cockpit door. In the instant before she could be seen by the passengers, she wondered where her longing to remain anonymous had sprung from, and concluded that although she didn't know now, someday the fact that she guarded her identity here would be helpful to her.

**

Emma stood in the darkness of the hangar, appreciating the fine shapes the moonlight made as it reflected off Espion's handsome curves. She felt a sudden pang of regret that, if she were to explain what she was doing to Trensa, he'd give her a funny look and walk away. Emma was no Seer, but even with her limited abilities, she could see that Trensa's future was rocky, and he would emerge from early troubles a changed boy. As even the most talented of Seers cannot see their own future, Emma had no idea about the troubles lying in wait for her.

She turned around at spotted the Doctor still at work on his latest endeavour, to try to get a message to the daughter of Senior Chancellor Reo. She suddenly felt sorry for the girl. Unlike Trensa and herself, this girl had a family, and how easy would it be for her to get away, if she really wanted to, from the Public Eye? Emma bit her lip. How would they initiate her? How would they check she was trustworthy, loyal, clever, and all the other things she had to be? Emma wasn't being egotistical, she knew all too well what was required of the new girl, and despite everything she'd learned, she was still only twelve years old.

Trensa stood on the balcony next to the Doctor. In his mind, his entire life had been building up to getting his own mobile suit, and righting the wrongs done to his fellow colony-dwellers. Without realising it, he was becoming ruthless and cold-hearted. Had Emma not been around, this change would have been taking place at a far greater rate. Emma was the one person he actually cared about. The Doctor looked after them both, but he wasn't Emma. Emma had been his adoptive big sister for as far back as he could remember, when she'd put her arm around him at the orphanage because he was shivering in a draught. Even though the difference in their ages was only slight, they could never be interested in each other in the romantic sense of the word, because of their respect for each other. Trensa sighed and brushed his unkempt dark hair out of his eyes. At the slight noise, the Doctor paused and looked up at him, then smiled and turned back to his hacking. He suddenly had a brainwave.

'Trensa, come here a moment.' he said. Trensa was at his side instantly.

'Yes, good, good. Now, Trensa, you see what I'm doing here?'

'Hacking.' Minimalist, as always.

'That's right. I'm going to teach you how to do it. Listen closely...'

Half an hour later, Trensa had mastered the basics, and the Doctor was pleased.

'Good, good. It is a useful skill, but sadly one that the others don't seem to think you'll need. That's why I'm only going to teach you. If it turns out you need more help at any hacking problem, then you can tutor Hayley and Emma.'

'Hayley?' This was the first time Trensa had heard that name.

The Doctor nodded. 'Yes. Hayley. Hayley Reo. Eldest daughter of Senior Chancellor James Reo.'

Trensa typed the surname into a search engine. He suddenly spotted a 'Breaking News' link, and connected to it. A couple of seconds later he said, 'Doctor, I think you'd better have a look at this.'

**

'Yes, thankyou, I'm fine.' Hayley shut the hotel door on the maid, then felt bad because she'd only been trying to help her. She collapsed into a chair by the window, and put her hand to her brow. 

__

Jeez, I'm getting old before my time, she thought miserably.

She spied a courtesy laptop on the table, and decided to relax for about half an hour, surfing the Outernet. It had been renamed when Colony dwellers had begun to connect. She looked around as she carried the cordless computer to the window and set it on her lap. Her family was on L-23/9 for a press conference, covering last week's shuttle near-disaster. Luckily, she'd managed to convince her father that she felt very tired, and should therefore be left at the hotel. She logged in, and checked her e-mails. Nothing. She had no e-mail contacts. She didn't feel sorry for herself 'though, and suddenly on impulse, typed in the letters OZ. The screen flickered, and a security protocol came up, asking her to enter a valid password. Hayley thought for a second. She put down the computer and picked up that day's Newsdoc. There was a large picture on the third or fourth frame of one of the terrorists that she'd shot. She was about to scroll down to the next frame when something on the sleeve of the man's jacket caught her eye, then nearly made her choke. On his arm was the same symbol the man who'd been trying to steal data from Colony T-5's Intranet Processor, an O and a Z.

'Oz....Oz,' she muttered, and quickly read the picture's caption. The caption said nothing about any organisation calling themselves Oz. Hayley suddenly understood that that was because the symbol in the picture was on the very verge of being visible to the naked eye. 

'The unidentified terrorists were believed to be trying to capture the daughter of Senior Chancellor James Reo.' she read. 'Reo....Reo.' She put down the Newsdoc, swallowed, and typed three letters into the password box. R......E......O. She closed her eyes and hit VERIFY.

**

'Yes Trensa?' The Doctor shuffled to Trensa's side, and read over his shoulder.

'"Three days ago, Chancellor Reo and his family had a lucky escape when their shuttle was overcome by armed terrorists. Luckily, control was regained by the co-pilot of the craft since his colleague had been killed, despite him being in agony due to atrocious injuries, and no one else on the shuttle was harmed." Hmmmmm...what does it say happened to the terrorists?' asked the Doctor. Trensa scrolled down.

'Both found dead.' said Trensa shortly.

'Hmmmm.....interesting....does this man look capable of killing both those armed men, in his condition?' said the Doctor, leering.

Trensa turned to face the Doctor and stared at him. 'Hayley?'

'I do believe so.'

** 

Hayley forced herself to open her eyes.

'"You have level 3 security clearance."' she read. Now she was scared, Why would her family's name be an Oz password, and on top of that, one with such a high security rating? Security ratings only went up to five. She clicked "OK" and a menu came up. She could either select, "Past successes", "About our organisation", "Most Wanted by Us". She selected the latter. A quick scan of the document told her that there were three hundred and twenty-seven names on the list. She read some of them to herself.

'Name, Doctor Judas Olivier. Crime, Failure to report activities proceeding in his area to local Oz executive. Believed to have been responsible for the deaths of two agents sent to arrest him. Danger to Oz, Level 9.' She scanned down. The names were in order, ranging from most to least wanted. The person whose information she'd just accessed was three down from the top. Those names above him obviously belonged to general terrorists, whose crimes were nearly identical. Multiple homicide. She scrolled down slightly further, to a patch of Danger level Sevens, and nearly passed out. There, under the name of a man who'd "Driven with intent to harm Oz agents" was her name. There was no doubt about it. She knew her name was unusual, and had never met or heard of another Reo family. She read the information breathlessly.

'Name, Hayley Reo. Crime, deliberately causing the deaths of an Oz intelligence officer and two Oz commandos, Danger to Oz, Level Seven.' She then read the slight footnote - 'This member of Oz's wanted list has been given this relatively low Danger level because of her age.' For some reason, this really ticked Hayley off. She decided to log out of the site she'd just hacked, and look up something different, something that had absolutely nothing to do with the life-threatening situation she'd just found out she was in. She surfed for about another fifteen minutes, but her heart just wasn't in it. She was about to terminate the connection when a message flashed onto the screen.

'You've got mail...' she read, then paused. Her server didn't automatically notify her when she had new e-mails. She clicked the "Read Mail" button. The computer hummed for a second, as if what it was doing was taking up a lot of its power, then a small box appeared on the screen. Hayley looked at it. Nothing was in it. 

_Oh no, _she thought frantically, _I've got a virus!_

She clicked the close button, but then writing began to fill the box, and Hayley read it, fascinated.

**__**

"GREETINGS TO YOU, MISS REO. YOU DO NOT KNOW ME, BUT I AM VERY INTERESTED IN YOU AND YOUR RECENT ESCAPADES...."

Hayley's heart was in her throat. Was this the work of an Oz agent? To her surprise, she found that she could write back to the sender instantly, like a chat room.

__

"DON'T THINK YOU CAN FRIGHTEN ME WITH YOUR COMPUTER TRICKS, OZ AGENT, I KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU."

****

"VERY GOOD, MISS REO, OR, MAY I CALL YOU HAYLEY? BUT NO.. I'M NOT AN OZ AGENT."

"WHO ARE YOU? AN ALLY OF THE COLONIES?"

****

"THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET HOLD OF YOU FOR SOME TIME NOW, HAYLEY, BUT YOU'VE PROVED YOURSELF TO BE QUITE ELUSIVE. NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING, NO...'

"WE?"

****

"THAT'S RIGHT. WE."

"HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER OR NOT TO TRUST YOU?"

****

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET US?"

"NICE TRY, BUT I'M NOT FALLING FOR THAT ONE."

****

"GOOD, GOOD. LISTEN HAYLEY. YOUR STAYING NEAR TO YOUR FAMILY IS ENDANGERING THEIR LIVES. I KNOW YOU HACKED INTO THE OZ NETWORK TODAY."

Hayley swallowed. Could this be true? Could she be endangering the lives of her father and sister? She paused, then made the big decision.

__

"WHERE CAN I MEET YOU?"

** 

The Doctor leant away from the screen, a satisfied look on his wizened face. Trensa and Emma re-read the correspondence that had just taken place. 

'So that's it?' said Trensa suspiciously.

'That's it, Trensa. We'll meet her at the arranged place tomorrow.'

'Doctor,' said Emma earnestly, 'I must know. How are we gonna test this girl? She hasn't had any of our training...'

'Ah, Emma, that is where you are mistaken!' said the Doctor, grinning again. 'How could someone who has never had any training kill three men and land a shuttle unaided, when they were only eleven? Oh, she's had training, but she never realised it. The teacher, the man who taught her to fly, fight, and survive, is a friend of mine.'

'The other colony dwellers,' said Trensa slowly, 'they trained her?'

'Correct. Now, tomorrow is an important day, and I will need both of you on peak form, so I think this warrants an early night.' the Doctor grinned. Trensa and Emma groaned. 'Oh yes, you may be the hope of the colonies, but you're not thirteen yet, either of you.' 

He laughed again, and the two young soldiers shrugged and made their way towards the lifts. This time, Emma instructed the pad to rise forty metres, and this left them level with a small cellar window, through which Emma, then Trensa, crawled. The Doctor was staying at the hangar tonight, to run tests on Espion. Emma and Trensa walked out of the cellar of their home and went to their respective rooms. Before she went to sleep, Emma checked on Trensa. She always did this, and he had never once seen her. She smiled as she looked around the door. Trensa was lying on his bed, but had neglected to pull the covers over himself. She laughed quietly and shook her head. Typical Trensa. She walked into her own room, and laid down in her own bed. The clock on the wall read 10.08pm. Not really late, but the Doctor was right. Tonight, of all nights, they needed their rest. She turned over and was soon asleep.

**

Hayley felt strange, as if she'd just been speaking with an old friend she hadn't heard from since nursery. She knew this wasn't possible, but what was, anyway? She'd arranged to meet these people the next day, in the Green. You had to say in, and not on, because the Green of L-23/9 was enormous. She decided, as her old friend Otashki had always advised her, to go early and lie in wait. She suddenly thought about Otashki. He'd been her mentor since she was about seven. He was a very tall man, but very gentle. She'd always thought it rude to refer to an adult by their first name, but Otashki had insisted, saying that he hated being called, 'Mr. Otashki' and that he wanted them to be friends, not for her to be in awe of him. Her father had been disapproving of her spending so much time with Otashki, and had forbidden her to see him anymore, but, she reflected, if it hadn't been for Otashki, she wouldn't be who she was. 

She thought about what was going to happen tomorrow, and wished she could speak to Otashki one last time, to ask his advice, to see what he made of it all. But she hadn't seen or heard from Otashki since her father had forbidden him access to Hayley. On the last day, he'd come to say goodbye, and had hugged Hayley tightly. Hayley had been very sad, but Otashki had told her that great warriors kept their feelings inside, an unleashed them only on the battlefield. She hadn't known then how she was to become a warrior, but she had known that she would become one. It wasn't a question of if, but when. She sighed, and closed the laptop. Her father was due home soon. 

She flicked the TV onto the news channel. Instantly her eyes were attacked by the image of a reporter dressed in dayglow orange conversing with a firefighter dressed in similar dayglow colours. Behind them a fire raged. She recognised the Television Studio as the building in flames, and her mind went blank. She sat down, and let phrases such as "No reported survivors", and "terrible example of arson" wash over her. Her father and little Anya, gone, as well as all those press members, and the staff of the Television Centre. Suddenly a terrible revelation hit her. This was the work of Oz. She remembered in History Class learning about how the assassination of Colony Governor Yuy had been received by the colonies, with great scepticism, and few believing the press release issued by the Earthsphere Alliance, that the culprit had been a rogue agent from a Colonial based organisation, and the vast majority believing that it had been an undercover agent of the Alliance, who were becoming fearful of Yuy's style of leadership. Her head suddenly felt heavy as she began to pick through the implications of what had just happened. Incredibly, no tears fell, as she had taken Otashki's teachings to heart. This had been no accident, even the television reporters knew that, so it had been a deliberate attempt on the part of a terrorist group to motivelessly murder three hundred and eighty innocent people. She could feel the anger beginning to brew, but suppressed it easily. It would come in useful later. She noticed that her hands were shaking, and let them.

**

The Doctor heard the urgent beep of his Newsdoc and put down his Biquatrior*, muttering. He reproached himself for ever downloading the extra 'Breaking News' module onto his Newsdoc.

__

The twice daily update is quite enough, he reasoned, as he made his way towards the table upon which the Newdoc lay, _and that doesn't beep at all. _

He was still muttering as he picked up the Newsdoc and pressed "Open". Instantly the headline flashed up. "Four hundred die in Television Studio Inferno" He read on.

__

Earlier today, an unidentified terrorist group set alight to the L23/9 Colony Television Studios, which was packed due to a press conference attended by Senior Chancellor Reo and his daughters. The death toll stands presently at three hundred and forty two, but many bodies are believed to be buried under the rubble of the razed building. Senior Chancellor Reo's body has been found, and, with those of his daughters', will be flown to Colony L-78 for a private service, to be attended only by family members.

Also among the dead is the Studio's chief executive, David Iubet, who has been the Duty Manager of TV L23/9 for the past twenty years...

The Doctor stopped reading. He couldn't believe it. Hayley was dead. He looked up at Espion. What was he going to do with it? Only Hayley could now pilot it, as he had spent the entire night programming in her data, whatever he could find out about her from the Outernet. He shook his head sadly, and was about to close down the window, when on impulse he scrolled down to the bottom of the document to find out who had written it. Incredibly, his face twisted into a smile.

'Well, well, well, it seems we still have operatives inside the press, yes, yes. Well done, well done indeed.'

*Pronounced Bye-cwot-riore

**

The next morning, Hayley awoke and rose noiselessly. Yesterday's terrible event hadn't dimmed her resolve to meet with those people. If anything, it had strengthened it. Hayley didn't realise how incredible her strength of mind was, because she'd never had any contact with weak-minded people, but if she had, she'd have realised just how pronounced the difference was. Not many eleven year old girls would be able to carry on living life almost as normal, had their family just been killed. With remarkable presence of mind, she had made this sad event into motivation for herself. She had read the same late night Newsdoc that the Doctor had been reading, and had initially been confused as to why the reporter had said that she had died as well. She wondered if false information had been leaked, then as the Doctor had done, she scrolled down to the bottom of the report, and read the name of the reporter. 

__

Otashkin Wakenoi

'Otashkin? Otashki?' Hayley had put down the Newsdoc and let the light dawn on her. If this man was actually Otashki, then the public needed to believe that she was dead. She remembered her efforts to not be revealed as the saviour of her shuttle, and realised that it had been Otashki's own words that had prompted her to do this.

'It bodes no good going around letting too many people knowing your name 'Ley.' he'd said. 'You can never be sure of a stranger's intentions....unless...' at this point, he'd leant close to her and whispered in her ear, '...unless he's carrying a violet handkerchief.' Then he'd winked at her as if he'd let her in on some great secret. He always carried a purple handkerchief himself, usually just poking out of the top pocket of any shirt he ever wore, Hayley noted. She'd wondered if this was a roundabout way of telling her that he was trustworthy, but she'd already known that. So the last comment he'd made had been lost on her, but she'd remembered it nonetheless. 

She knew that she had to disappear. She gathered a few clothes into an inconspicuous bundle, and ate everything she could find in the bedroom. She didn't know when she'd get to eat again. With that, she opened the window and looked out. If she jumped, she ran the risk of being seen by bystanders. She needed to clear the area, but how? Luckily she didn't need to figure that one out, because at that moment, an Alliance trooper squadron began their daily march around the colony. The colony people scrambled to get out of their way, and wouldn't come back in a hurry. As soon as the soldiers were a safe distance away, Hayley lowered herself out of the window until she was dangling by her fingertips, to minimalise the distance she had to fall, then dropped.

****

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Felflowne - Please review! I accept flames! Any other comments on my writing please send to [espionthehamster@hotmail.com][1]** Arigato minna-san!**

   [1]: mailto:espionthehamster@hotmail.com



	2. The Newcomer

The Original Age Part 2 - The Newcomer

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew**!**

**The Original Age Part 2 – The Newcomer

By Espion

Trensa woke up and stared into the darkness. As he rolled himself out of bed, he caught sight of his clock. 6.15am. Good, he'd managed to snag a decent eight hours sleep. He walked into Emma's room, and tapped her gently on the arm. She'd obviously already been awake, as she sat up straight away and followed him out of the room. As soon as they were ready, they met with the Doctor in the hangar. The time was now 6.30am. The Doctor seemed preoccupied. Trensa was the first to say something.

'What's wrong?' The Doctor looked up at him, and his face twisted into a sad smile.

'There have been certain....developments.' said the Doctor, and quickly explained what had come to pass.

Emma looked shocked, and although Trensa's face remained impassive, Emma could tell that he was shocked too. 

'Who is this guy? Otashkin Wakenoi? You've said that he's a friend, but....' she let the inquiry hang in mid-air.

'Otashkin Wakenoi, or Otashki, as he prefers to be called, is one of my oldest and most trusted friends. He's commanded this article so that the public will believe that Hayley Reo is dead, and therefore, Oz will not bother to look for her.' The Doctor drew breath. 'Anyway, after today, she'll be under my watch, so we needn't worry.' 

Emma and Trensa exchanged looks, then Trensa said, in a surprising gentle voice, 'Do you really think she'll show up today? I mean, give her a break, her entire family's just been murdered.'

The Doctor gave Trensa a look. 

'I think you'll discover Hayley to have a much stronger character and force of mind than you expect, Trensa, my boy.'

** 

Hayley heard the unmistakable clatter of booted feet returning in her direction, and raced into the Green. Once there, she swung herself easily into a tree. She waited there, still as a statue, until the soldiers had passed. Then she settled down to wait.

**

Trensa blinked as they stepped out into the sunlight. Emma noticed, with a pang of sadness, how his face seemed to have become set in one expression. She wondered if this was the change in Trensa she had foreseen. She walked next to Trensa as they walked towards the Green, and the Doctor followed a short way behind, so as to seem that he wasn't with them, however, when they had entered the Green, they could join up again, as they could not be seen.

**

Hayley knew that someone was coming long before she heard anything. She froze again, and was careful not to cause any vibrations, which may cause leaves to fall, and betray her position. After a second or two, she heard a boy's voice, and he didn't sound too friendly.

'She's not here Doctor, come on, we're wasting our time....'

Hayley was torn. She couldn't decide whether or not to make her presence known, or remain in hiding, after all, how did she know that these people were Them?

A girl's voice joined him. 'Doctor, if I was her, I'd be scared. How can we let her know that it's okay to come out?' An old man shuffled in Hayley's view. Although she could hear the younger people's voices, the man was the only person she could actually see. She watched as he smiled, and reached in his pocket. Hayley froze for what seemed like the tenth time. Was he going to reveal a gun? Was he an Oz agent after all? Or....

Emma blinked as the Doctor pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. He unfolded it carefully, and took it in his right hand. Trensa caught her eye and gave her a look which quite clearly said, _Do you have a clue what the hell is going on?_ She shrugged at him.

Hayley was stunned. Now she understood what Otashki had meant. The violet handkerchief, it was some kind of code. She trusted Otashki, wherever he was, and so made her next decision. She bent forward and dropped out of the tree, landing almost soundlessly behind the boy who'd spoken first out of them. He spun around, and there was something about him that told Hayley his first reflex would have been to shoot her, had he had a gun. However, he didn't seem to have one. Lucky. Hayley straightened slowly, and Emma noticed that although she was very pale, she showed no other outward signs of fear. She wished someone would break the silence. After what seemed like forever, the Doctor cleared his throat. When he spoke, he sounded uncharacteristically tired.

'You have no idea how relieved we are that you could make it here, Miss Reo, in light of your recent loss..' He looked at her steadily. She didn't blink or turn away, and remained silent. Emma walked forward, and Hayley looked at her. This girl couldn't be much older than she was.

'Miss Reo, please enlighten me...' she began. She had a voice that was pleasant to listen to, Hayley noted, '....why did you come out of hiding?' Hayley looked at the Doctor. Then she replied.

'One of the last things Otashki taught me was that you can never be sure of a stranger's intentions, unless he's carrying a purple handkerchief.' Hayley looked at Emma, who looked totally confused, and continued, 'I didn't understand him then, but now I realise that the handkerchief is some kind of signal between members of Otashki's organisation.' She looked at the Doctor. 'Sir, are you Doctor Judas Olivier?' The Doctor looked up quickly.

'Very good Hayley. Yes, yes I am.' He took her arm and began to guide her back the way they'd come. 'I know that you are after answers, and we will be more than glad to provide them, after you have proven yourself to us.' Hayley stiffened, then nodded.

'I'm ready,' she said, and waited. She didn't have to wait long. Her eyes focused instantly as the boy reached for his pocket. She panicked suddenly. Did they think that she was some kind of commando? She may have been clever and brave, but she'd never received any combat training, except...

Trensa levelled the gun he'd just revealed at her, but she was no longer there. He looked confused, and then focused on the Doctor. He grinned.

'Don't tell me she's got you beaten, Trensa?' Trensa spun around, and Hayley was there, but how? She drew her own gun and put it to the side of his head before he could dodge. He showed no signs of fear, and didn't even swallow involuntarily. For a second, no one moved. At length, Hayley removed her weapon. Trensa instantly swung his weapon at her head, hoping to knock her out, but found his wrist gripped painfully hard. He gritted his teeth and broke away. He turned to where she'd been and again she was gone. He suddenly felt the cold nose of a gun jab him in the back of the neck. He put his gun sullenly on the ground, and Emma retrieved it. 

'I'm not yielding this time.' said Hayley. Surprisingly, there was no longer any malice in her voice. It was calm. Trensa almost smiled.

'Well done Hayley! You're learning fast! You are exactly who we were looking for!' The Doctor smiled again, but Hayley didn't return the expression at first, but then it suddenly dawned on her that these people were now the only people in the Earthsphere whom she could trust. A slow smile began to form on her face, and the Doctor was glad. 

**

Hayley followed Trensa down into the recesses of the school corridors. looking all around her. She was beginning to feel like nothing could surprise her anymore. Trensa and herself had become separated from Emma and the Doctor, but strangely, she didn't feel afraid of this strange boy. They'd got off to a rough start, but she knew that things would improve. Trensa led the way into a large open space, which, Hayley didn't realise, was the dark hangar. Emma watched from the observance room as they made their way blindly towards the totally invisible mecha. Hayley was walking confidently, despite the fact that she couldn't see a thing. Suddenly, Trensa stopped walking. 

'This is where we stop.' he said, un-conversationally. Hayley raised an eyebrow, a move that sadly couldn't be seen by Emma or the Doctor. 

'Oh.' said Hayley, in a carbon-copy tone. This was heard by Emma, who promptly folded up laughing. God, two peas.

Trensa looked at her. Was she making fun of him? In the darkness, he could make out the smile on her face, and incredibly, it made him want to smile too. He'd never met anyone who'd had that kind of effect on him. He suddenly had a strange premonition that he was going to enjoy being part of this team. And he couldn't remember the last time he'd used the word "enjoy". 

'Lights please.' said Trensa, and Emma complied by flicking the relevant switch. Hayley looked up at the enormous machine, and gulped. She struggled to find her voice.

'What is it?' she asked, but the voice of the Doctor echoed over the com. system. 

'That will be answered in due time. For now, I am in no hurry to try and explain the situation to you, so you must find out what you need to know from Emma and Trensa.' The system cut out. Hayley blinked.

**

Half an hour later, Hayley, Emma and Trensa were sat together in a small room situated close to the main hangar. Emma finally concluded what she'd been saying with, '...and that's about it. Got it?'

She'd been speaking non-stop for twenty-five minutes. Hayley felt as though her brain was being toasted. Vengeance? Mecha? Operation Umbra? These words filed themselves into her brain, but it took a few minutes to sift through all of what had been said. A wave of relief washed over her. She now understood who Oz were, and her relationship with them. She was ready to fight. She suddenly noticed that Emma was looking at her questioningly. She realised that she hadn't said a word for around five minutes. She was about to reply when Trensa spoke.

'Give her a minute Ems, it's a lot to take in.' Emma stared at him. That wasn't a very Trensa-ish thing to say. She could tell that he really respected this girl. Hayley looked at Trensa, and gave him a very subtle look, which said, _Thanks._

**

A couple of minutes later, they met with the Doctor in the hangar again. It was eleven o' clock. The Doctor patted the side of Espion with his left hand. _Clink, Clink._

'Are you ready to begin, Hayley?' asked the Doctor, 'because we're all very excited about this suit, and we've had to wait for you, you know.'

'Wait for....oh.' Hayley remembered now that Emma had said that the suit in the hangar was the one that would be given to the "new arrival". That was she. Hers? This? She reached out with her hand and touched the mecha, and instantly, there was something else there. Something that spoke to her, and said, _Hurry up, I'm waiting ..._

She wasn't afraid anymore. She understood the idea of things belonging even when no money had changed hands, like the child belonging to the mother. This suit belonged to her. She reached her thoughts into it and activated it easily, and heard Emma and Trensa gasp as the huge eyes suddenly glowed green, and the heavy head began to rise slowly away from the floor. The Doctor clapped, and Hayley stopped and looked at him. He walked towards her.

'This is more than I expected from your first try. You are very powerful indeed. However we can't risk letting you pilot Espion properly until A, we have somewhere safe for you to practice, and B, we are sure that you can...' He stopped speaking. Espion's head had begun to rise again, and one or it's hind legs lifted off the ground. The Doctor shook his head, and when he spoke again, his voice was shaky.

'Activating it is one thing Hayley, but this...' He watched as Hayley took her hand away from Espion's side, and it continued to fidget. Emma watched in amazement. Then she looked at the Doctor.

'Will my suit be able to do that?' 

'It's not a question of the suit, Emma, it's a question of the pilot.' Emma looked confused.

Hayley looked at the Doctor again, and her eyes were bright.

'I hope I'm good enough Doctor,' she said.

'You three are now the only hope the Colonies have for retribution,' said the Doctor gravely. 'If anything ever happens to you, your suits will be buried, and we shall not acknowledge that you or your suits ever existed.'

Emma gave a low whistle. 'But what if we come back?' she asked.

**__**

Six Months Later

'Hayley! Get here now! Mobile Suit Leo squadron closing fast! Get out there!' Trensa's usually calm voice echoed over the com. system. Hayley and Emma met each other in the corridor as she was sprinting toward her mobile suit. Emma flashed her a smile, which Hayley returned, and then she vaulting the railing and dropped to the hangar floor. The Leos were attacking to try to avenge losses sustained during Hayley's last mission.

Around three months ago, the Doctor had made the decision to move their base of operations. The new location was so secret that even Emma sometimes forgot where it was. Hayley dashed across the floor of the hangar and quickly climbed up the side of Espion's left leg using chinks where gundanium plate met gundanium plate as hand and toeholds. She pressed her hand against the Spanscan lock on her mecha's hatch; it bleeped and admitted her. She swung her self easily into the seat and closed the hatch. Instantly, a picture of Trensa appeared on her screen.

'Eww, that's ugly.' teased Hayley, and Trensa made a face, then was serious.

'They're approaching on bearing Zero One Zero.' said Trensa.

'Almost head on? That's weird. Anyhoo, I've gotta stop'em, so, speak to you later.' She flicked various switches, and Espion came to life. The hangar shook as the mobile suit walked out. As soon as she was clear, she grabbed a lever near the ceiling and pulled. Instantly, the pattern of Espion's leg movements changed, and it began to move more quickly. Trensa watched from the hangar in awe.

'How does it do that?' he asked. The Doctor looked up.

'What?'

'Stay upright, and not crash when she pushes it into a jog.'

'It has a very good balance centre, and Hayley has good balance too. That's about it.' said the Doctor. Trensa grunted. 

Hayley had once let him have a go at piloting Espion, but when he'd tried to jog, the mech's legs had got tangled and he'd fallen over. Hayley had done her best not to laugh at the sight of the huge mech on its back, with its legs thrashing around, but she'd failed.

Lights began to flash on the radar. Espion didn't show up because of what it was made of, but the enemies showed up clearly. Emma picked up the mike.

'Turns out there's two squadrons, 'Ley. The other's approaching on bearing One Three Seven. If you're quick, you should be able to finish with the first before the second lot arrive.'

'Roger.' said Hayley, and turned Espion towards the approaching Leos.

**

'Was that received by all units? Let the Leos attack first, there's only one of them, over.'

The radio of his Leo crackled.

'Received, Mauve Leader, we'll hold back our Aries troops, over.'

Fiko Roshi gripped the main control stick of his Leo, and moved it forward on the bearing he had been assigned to. He felt great trepidation about the mission he was about to embark upon, despite his confident talk. He had heard things about the suit he and his men were about to face, and they scared him. How could a suit with only a beam sabre destroy an entire Leo com. system manufacturing plant? He didn't know, but it had, about a month ago. He ground his teeth a few times, and tried to push the stories he'd heard about this suit out of his mind, but it was no good.

People were saying that this mecha didn't show on radar because it was made out of some metal that could only be manufactured on the colonies, what was it called? Oh yes, Gundanium. People called this thing a Gundam, which seemed to set it apart from all their mobile suits. That name seemed to elevate it above simply being a machine. Fiko shook his head. Just a machine, just a machine, with a human pilot. Humans weren't perfect. He knew that. His mission was to stop, no, destroy this Gundam. Gundam Alpha. That was its codename. He was thought gabbling now, and he knew it. _Concentrate on the mission, soldier_, he told himself firmly. Gundam Alpha, destroy. _Right_. _Alpha?_ Did that mean there was a Beta or Delta? _More!? More of these? Stop it. Right now._

He and his unit rounded the side of a low hill they'd been using as cover, unaware that Espion had seen them coming, and was waiting.

**

****

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	3. Fight for a Reason to exist

The Original Age Part 3 - Fight for a Reason to exist

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew**!**

**The Original Age Part 3 – Fight for a Reason to exist

****

By Espion

Hayley spun around to face the approaching enemy. Only fifteen of them! They'd seriously underestimated her, and they'd pay for that. Her fingers hovered above the beam sabre control, then relaxed. Not yet. She hadn't fought for a while, and needed to limber up. She'd begin by getting rid of the leader; that was what she generally did. Although highly trained, there was always a couple of seconds' confusion when any squadron found themselves without a commander. Not a shred of emotion passed through Hayley's mind as she readied herself for the attack. She had been trained intensively, and felt no fear. It was hard to feel fear, once you knew how to shut it out. You had to 'become as a stone, and feel nothing; show nothing. A stone cannot be distracted from its mission….' Here the Doctor had paused in his attempt at philosophy and ended lamely, '…whatever a stone's mission may be…'

'Mission number forty-seven, Pilot's name – Hayley Reo, Outcome…Oh yeah, I'm supposed to do that at the end of the mission….' Hayley grinned sheepishly.

'Baka,' came Trensa's voice.

'Shut up,' said Hayley good-naturedly. The lead Leo was now only about a kilometre away, and she was ready for him.

*

'It's just standing there!' cried the Leo commander to Fiko, 'It isn't moving!'

'It'll move soon enough,' said Fiko morbidly, 'be careful.'

*

The battle began. Six Leos shot forward and attempted to pin Espion to the ground in order that the other two could get a clear beam cannon shot. Ten seconds later, only three were left. One lay in smoking pieces, ripped apart by Espion's powerful jaws, and the other two had taken the brunt of the blow that Hayley had unleashed with the hind pistons. In other words, she kicked them to bits. The other three retreated hastily, but not fast enough, as Hayley activated the beam sabre, lighting up the darkening sky, and pounced on them.

*

'Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!! It's on meeeeee……' Fiko's head hurt with all the screams pouring in through the com. system. He quickly flicked open all the Leo channels, which had suddenly been muted.

'Mauve Leader! Respond! Damage Report!' Fiko yelled. The com. system buzzed at him angrily.

'Shit! Retreat!! All troops! Haul butt!' The Aries Tan Squadron turned in air and began to power up their thrusters.

*

Hayley threw down the last Leo and stamped on it. Hard. It crackled and spat sparks at her, but she was no longer paying attention.

'Where are you…Ah,' she spotted the Aries Squadron retreating. 

'I don't think sooooooo…' she said, and changed gear. 

*

'Sir! Gundam Alpha is in pursuit!' The voice from Unit Twelve sounded panicked. Fiko fought to remain calm, for the sake of his soldiers.

'Gain altitude.' He instructed, 'I'm pretty sure that that monster has no aerial combat abilities.' He looked around at his troops, whose suits were beginning to rise, but agonisingly slowly, due to the fact that they were in a valley.

_A valley that he's chased us into, _thought Fiko frantically, _He's good._

*

Espion had now caught up with the trailing Aries. The men inside gazed down at the gargantuan galloping gundanium mobile suit and tried to gauge the distance between them. It had to be at least twenty metres. Plenty, seeing as the thing couldn't possibly jump…right? 

*

Hayley tilted Espion's head so that she had a good view of her targets. Then she powered the suit's hind legs and jumped.

'Aaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeee!'

*

'Sir! Enemy Gundam can jump!' It was the voice of Unit Nine.

'What! How high?' 

'Very high Sir, it just knocked Units Ten through Twelve out of the sky. They've been completely destroyed!'

'Continue trying to gain altitude with Units Thirteen and Fourteen. I will plant the device.'

'Yes Sir!' Unit Nine began to rise again, but Unit Thirteen, with a large beam sabre hole through it's mid-section, crashed into it and sent them both crashing to the ground in a fireball.

Fiko spun around and quickly loaded the device into his GRT rifle. _This hasn't been tested_, he thought idly, his brain beginning to fuzz,_ the rifle, the device, or whether or not one can fire the other._

He spun his Aries around so quickly that even Hayley couldn't dodge. The device shot out of the rifle and impacted on the underside of Espion's right hind leg. Hayley felt the jolt, but Espion didn't seem to be damaged. She turned Espion's head slowly towards Fiko's Aries. The rifle he was holding had obviously not been designed for what it had just done, and was slowly heating up, she could tell, by the slight reddish glow it was beginning to emit. Fiko's head slumped against the console of his mobile suit, his injuries finally taking their toll. Hayley suddenly twigged what was about to happen and turned on heel and pushed Espion into a gallop, trying to get as far away as possible. 

As she thundered flat out over the undulating landscape, a small shape on the distant horizon caught her eye. As she drew closer, she saw it was another Aries, poor Unit Thirteen, who'd had engine trouble beforehand and had never reached the battle. Hayley didn't know this, and wouldn't have cared anyway. She plunged her beam sabre into the heart of the machine, and felt the ground shake as the machine exploded. She galloped on. After a couple more seconds, she turned and looked back at where she'd left the Aries Squadron commander. At that second, his damaged weapon reached critical point and exploded, taking the last of the fifteen enemy mobile suits with it.

*

'Good job 'Ley! Yeah!' Emma ran out into the hangar as Espion walked through the huge doors, looking slightly charred but not damaged. Hayley dropped gracefully from her suit and stood up, smiling. The Doctor stood about twenty yards away. He had that look on his face. The one where he wanted to show you something desperately, but wouldn't if you didn't ask. Trensa stepped up behind him. Over the last few months he'd grown a lot taller, and of course Hayley and Emma had teased him mercilessly about it. His face wore a rare smile. Emma noticed and smiled too. Having Hayley around was definitely improving Trensa's character. Emma suddenly took a sharp intake of breath involuntarily. Surely the Doctor didn't _want_ them all to become cold and unfeeling?

Hayley shook Emma from her troubling thoughts by laughing and saying, 'All right, what is it? What have you got?' The Doctor tried to look nonchalant, but failed, as he just didn't have that kind of face.

'Emma,' he said slowly, 'I do believe it would interest you to know that work on Eron has been completed. Operation Umbra will now proceed at a much quicker rate.'

There was a couple of second's silence, and then Emma said, 'Really?' Suddenly Hayley felt uneasy, something wasn't right. She tried to remain interested in the conversation, but something was eating away at her, and she was sure that she could hear, at a very high frequency, something going – Blip, Blip, Blip. She suddenly looked at Trensa, who was looking at her, and mouthed, 'Can you hear that?'

'Yes,' he replied silently, 'and it's coming from Espion.'

'Uh oh,' Hayley said aloud, and began to run towards Espion. Trensa turned to follow her, but just then, the explosive device that Fiko Roshi had planted upon Espion exploded, ripping the hangar apart. The last thing that Hayley saw was Trensa flying through the air and landing awkwardly on his shoulder, then a piece of roofing fell, and everything went black.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 


	4. Chronological Leap

The Original Age Part 4 - Chronological Leap

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!!

****

**The Original Age Part 4 – Chronological Leap

By Espion

__

AC 195 - Oceasia

Quatre Winner looked up from the console he was monitoring and said, 'Don't you think that we oughta just leave it?' He watched as Heero Yuy glared at him, and tried to climb back into the mecha. As it had all of the other times he'd tried, the huge, strangely shaped mech stamped, and tossed it head viciously, throwing Heero clear and smashing him into a wall. Quatre winced. That had to hurt, even if it was Heero…

Quatre looked at the two other boys sat on the stairs that led own to the Gundam Hangar. One with a cap on looked back at him and said, 'I say we re-bury it, 'cos what use is a mech that won't obey commands?'

Quatre nodded in silent agreement. Duo Maxwell leapt up from where he'd been standing and leant over the rail.

'HEY! HEERO!' he yelled. Heero hadn't moved from where the mobile suit had thrown him. Duo rolled his eyes. He turned to face his friends and said, 'right, with you as my witnesses, I am going to help Heero. If I get hurt, Trowa, you can have my stereo. Quatre, you can't have anything, because you've got it all already.' Quatre grinned and laughed. Duo began to run down the stairs. When he reached his fallen friend, he attempted to help him to his feet, but Heero lashed out viciously, and Duo only just managed to dodge. Duo turned tail and bolted towards the stairs, leaping up them three at a time. He plonked himself back down next to Trowa Barton. 

'Tough luck Tro, maybe next time.' 

Heero glared at the machine, and he swore afterwards that it glared back.

Dr J. walked out onto the balcony of the hangar.

'Still trying Heero?' he chuckled. 'Good luck. That suit isn't yours, and you know it.'

'It's a goddamn machine,' growled Heero.

Dr J. smiled sadly, 'I bid you good luck, Yuy.' He turned and looked at Wufei and Trowa. He shook his head sadly. 

'Why didn't you tell us yes or no, Master O,' he muttered, 'then we'd know, but no, you had to just carry on as if nothing had happened…'

*

Kate sat on the thin railing that was the only thing standing between her and dying from a thirty-metre drop. Suddenly she felt a hand on her arm, and swung around so quickly that the girl who'd tapped her squeaked. 

'Er…it's not really safe to sit there, ya'know.' said the girl carelessly, tossing her dark hair. Kate looked at her for a second, and then resumed her previous activity of staring out over the valley. The dark-haired girl tsked and walked slowly away, muttering. 

The girl had actually had to pluck up a lot of courage before speaking to Kate. She was only at the school by the request of the head teacher, but no one knew why except the head teacher and Kate. No one even knew if Kate was really the strange girl's name. Kate lowered herself to the ground, and began to walk out of the school.

*

'Why does Heero give a damn about this piece of junk anyway?' asked Duo, giving the older mech a derisive once-over with his eyes. 'Our Gundams are much better…' Heero entered the room and sat down, a murderous look on his face. The other four pilots shrank away slightly, they knew better than to talk to Heero when he was in this type of mood.

Having said that, Quatre stood up and walked over to Heero, and placing a hand on his shoulder, said, 'Can I get you a drink?' The others tensed, wondering what Heero might do. Amazingly, he nodded, and said, 'Please.'

*

Kate walked out of the school. She never attended lessons, and she had no friends there, as everyone was too scared of her. Stories about her, where she'd come from, and what she'd done before she'd come to the school buzzed around the school, and as she preferred to be left well alone, she didn't bother setting the record straight about which were true or not. She walked further, further away from the school, until she was certain she was far enough away. Then she slumped against a tree and began to cry quietly.

They hadn't got better, the flashbacks had got worse since she'd started going here. When she'd awoken, she'd been in hospital, with loads of people she'd never met chirruping how it was a miracle. She'd been lucky that her face had changed enough for her not to be recognised as Hayley Reo. When all of the fickle do-gooders had gone, a girl around her age had stepped forward and offered Hayley her hand, and introduced herself as Relena Peacecraft. She'd told Hayley that she was welcome to attend her school, free of charge, if she had nowhere else to go. Hayley had been apprehensive at first, until the strange girl had pulled her handkerchief from her pocket, and Hayley had taken it.

'It's a handkerchief, so what?' The handkerchief had been pink.

'So shoot me because I don't own a purple one. Otashki wants to meet you again.'

Hayley had blinked. 'Otashki?'

'He'll be back from the colonies in a few years. He has a few new…err…responsibilities. Until then, he asked me to take care of you, if you turned up. You can stay at the school, and you don't have to pay.'

Hayley had looked stunned, and then said, 'Why are you doing this for me?'

Relena had smiled sadly, and said quietly, 'I just want to do my part for the cause. I hope you feel better soon.' Then she'd left, and left Hayley very confused. 

And here she was, almost five years later. She often went out into the forest. It was the only place she could be herself in safety. At that moment a terrible sensation flooded her body and she gritted her teeth, readying herself for the oncoming onslaught…

*

'Guys! I hate to break up this Kodak moment, but we have Virgos approaching, and lots of them!' yelled Wufei Chang, running past the doorway of the small room that the others were sat in. About five seconds later, all of the pilot were ready to leave except Duo, who paused to look at what he'd previously thought as as a broken-down pile of scrap. Its eyes had suddenly glowed a bright red, and Duo yelped, and ran away.

'Guys….errr….' he said breathlessly, and all the others turned to watch as the huge mecha pulled itself to its own feet, and walked out of the hangar. Duo blinked.

*

~~*Flashback*~~

_'That's great!' cried Emma, 'when can I see it?'_

'Whenever you like,' said the Doctor, only…' he paused, and looked at Hayley.

'Uh oh,' said Hayley.

CRASH

~~*End Flashback*~~

Hayley sobbed miserably into her hands. She lost everyone and everything she'd ever loved. She didn't know whether or not Emma, Trensa or the Doctor had survived, or Espion, in a manner of speaking. If they were dead, then she held herself completely responsible for what had happened. She should have checked for sabotage before entering the hangar…why hadn't she…that time…why…why…

Hayley looked up into the sky, and suddenly had a desire to be able to see further. Without hesitating, she began to climb the tree. 

*

'How many Virgos Wufei?' yelled Duo.

'About a hundred…' said Wufei, still looking at where the mech had been.

'I'm going after that mech,' said Heero, climbing into Wing Zero carefully.

'Hang on dude, that mech, is like, haunted…' Duo voice trailed off as he saw the look on Heero's face. It was a look that Duo'd seen before, many times. Pure steel. Duo looked away hurriedly, afraid that Heero would sense his doubt.

'I'll go after it,' Heero repeated, 'if you need assistance with the Virgos, I'll back you up when I've recaptured Espion.' He shut the hatch and ended the conversation abruptly. Duo blinked, and turned away. 

'Espion…eh? Well, if anyone can do it, you can Heero.' He smiled and raced towards Deathscythe. 

*

Hayley reached the top of the tree and immediately felt better. The wind made the tree sway slightly, and she shut her eyes slowly. Then she opened them again, very quickly.

*

Heero transformed Zero into a fighter and powered after the disappearing mech, which was galloping at full tilt towards…the school.

He couldn't let any pupils see that mech, or him, for that matter, or else…

He started suddenly. The strange mech had slowed, and it was still quite a way away from the school. Good.

*

Hayley stared, and stared, and stared. Crashing through the forest towards her was a huge fighter. Something smaller was also chewing up trees, but she couldn't see it yet. A mech!! She stood up and watched intently. She never thought to take cover. Then the leading mech broke out of the trees.

*

Heero suddenly spotted a girl in the very top branches of a tall tree, and levelled his buster rifle at her. She'd seen him, and that was her only crime.

*

Espion drew to a halt below the tree that Hayley was in, and its eyes faded to a lighter red. Hayley looked down at her mech, and realised that tears were in her own eyes.

'Oh my God.' She muttered. 'Espion.' Then her face broke into a huge smile. It didn't last long 'though, as Heero fired at her.

*

Heero watched in stunned amazement as the girl leapt out of the tree and landed on Espion's head. His shot took the top two metres off of the tree.

Hayley hit Espion's head hard. Ow. 

'We're in trouble bud,' she groaned, pressing her hand against the Spanscan lock, and noticing how someone had pried it with some kind of welding tool, and swinging herself into her mech, 'That dude totally wants to annihilate us, and I'm totally outta practice…'

Heero shook himself and looked around for the girl, but she was gone. 

_That's probably just as well_

To his horror, Espion started to move again, it turned and crouched, then sprang at him, knocking Wing Zero onto its back. Heero struggled, and managed to throw Espion off, and right into the thick of the battle.

Duo blinked again as Espion flew past him and landed on its back. Wing Zero shot after it, but it dodged, and kicked out with its back legs, sending Heero and Zero flailing backwards into the cliff. At that second, a Virgo flew towards Sandrock, who was distracted, and none of the others could get to him.

'QUATRE!!' yelled Duo, but it was too late. Quatre began to turn, but the Virgo was going to get there first, it drew its beam sabre, and-

-suddenly wasn't there anymore. Quatre blinked. Hayley had leapt at the Aries and knocked it out of the air. She figured out that if these people were fighting Oz troops, then they must be the good guys. She swung around and Espion's beam sabre flared into life.

'Heero! The mech's fighting with us!' cried Quatre. 

'I know…' said Heero faintly.

_You felt the storm brewing, didn't you Espion? _said Hayley silently,_ You came to find me. I hope you didn't hurt anyone, buddy._

At that moment three Virgos converged onto her, and deployed their shield barrier generators. Hayley stared at the small round objects that had been flung into the sky.

_What the hell are they? God, I'm totally behind._

Hayley gritted her teeth and swung at the attacking mecha. To her surprise, the crackling energy field had absolutely no effect. Then she realised that its primary function was to stop missiles. 

_We don't do missiles, do we Espion? _She thought evilly. The Virgos sizzled and plunged groundwards.

A huge red and yellow mech swung its left arm up to face Hayley, and she gulped. Here was a mech that did do missiles. Lots and lots of missiles.

_Yikes!_

Gundam Heavyarms hesitated for a fraction of a second, and then fired.

_One should be enough, _thought Trowa, _It's only a bog-standard mobile suit._

All the other mobile suits seemed to pause as the missile flew towards its target. It exploded on impact, and the clouds of shrapnel and smoke obscured the results of the positive strike. Trowa scanned the smoke to see if he'd been successful. There was no sign of the renegade machine. He breathed again and turned back to the battle, and saw…

'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeee!' yelled Hayley, diving at the red mech and knocking it over. Now, she was _really_ mad. Trowa was winded by the impact, but ignored the pain. Where the hell had the suit come from? Furthermore, he'd heard a voice, which meant that the suit wasn't rampaging around on its own, not anymore. It had definitely been unoccupied when Heero'd tried to pilot it 'though…

'Trowa! Dude! Get up!' Duo's commands annoyed Trowa somewhat.

_What do you think I'm trying to do, you moron?_

Trowa flipped Heavyarms to its feet, causing Hayley to take a few steps back. Woah. His shot had merely blackened the side of the suit, and he couldn't see any other damage. 

_Impossible, _thought Trowa_, I've seen similar shots knock five Leos out at once…unless…_

'Guys! This suit is made of Gundanium!' barked Trowa. There was a second's silence.

'You what?' said Duo.

'How'd you know?' asked Wufei testily.

'You all saw that. I hit it head on. Barely a scratch.'

'It was fighting with us, why'd you attack it Trowa?' Quatre's worried voice resounded over the com. system. 

Trowa chose to answer an unasked question first. 'There's someone inside it as well.' He added.

Suddenly thirty more Aries arrived, looking as though they meant business. Heero growled.

'Can we discuss this later?' he intoned. All six pilots swung their mobile suits around.

'Hey!' yelled Duo at the odd mecha, 'are you for us or against us?' Espion's head turned to face the tall black mech. Hayley thought it was a very impressive bit of work. The person who'd built it obviously knew how to combine effectiveness with the ability to scare to crap out of the enemy. She turned to look at Wing Zero. It looked strangely like Espion in a way, similar platework. Weird. She turned to face the Aries, and scored her left foreleg into the ground, digging up the soil.

'I'll take that as a for…' said Duo.

*

Around twenty minutes later, it was all over. The five two-legged mecha stood around Espion, their pilots trying to decide what to do. Espion hadn't come out completely unscathed. It was after all, almost half a decade older than the monsters leaning over it. Wiring had come loose on its neck. Hayley had hit her head against the console quite hard during the ordeal, and kept her hand on her head to try and stop the sticky blood dripping onto the mech main computer console and gumming it up. 

_What now? These suits are made of Gundanium, I couldn't touch them. They must be…from the colonies…_

The com. system crackled.

_Very good, _thought Hayley, _Well hacked_.

'Get out of your machine or we'll destroy it.' The voice was not friendly. Hayley decided to…be herself.

'Err…you really don't want to do that.' She muttered. There was a faint snap, and another voice joined the first.

'What my friend means is that we are grateful for your assistance, but we must ask you to vacate your suit so that we may recapture it.'

'If I meant that Quatre, I would've said it.' muttered the first voice.

Hayley looked out of the viewscreen to try and ascertain where the voices where coming from, which mecha.

'Yours then, is it?' she asked nonchalantly. She couldn't stop herself from giggling, and this gave her away to at least one of the pilots.

'It's a woman!' yelled yet another new voice. The second voice replied patiently, 'Yes, Wufei, I think we'd all figured that out, thank you.'

'Fight against Oz, do you?' asked Hayley. The first voice returned. 

'That's none of your concern, you don't understand anything…'

'Try me. What is there to understand?'

'I have no interest in speaking with you further. Goodbye.' He levelled his buster rifle at Espion.

'Okay, this one I dodge, right?' Hayley muttered to no one in particular. The first voice snorted.

'Dodge it if you can.' He said. He fired. She dodged. The blast streaked towards the school.

'No!' cried Hayley, and dived between the flare and the school. It knocked her off of all four of her feet, and she landed heavily on her back. Wires hissed angrily and snaked wildly around inside the cockpit. She lifted the mech's head to see if she had been successful in protecting the school. It was still there. She let the head fall to the ground with a loud thud.

'Ouchie.' she whimpered.

Heero was stunned. She dodged his shot, a rare feat, and then let it hit her on purpose to protect the school. He looked at the comatose metal shape. Silence.

There was the noise of something very large beginning to move. Heero turned, and watched as Deathscythe leant over the fallen mobile suit and rolled it over. Espion struggled weakly to stand, but fell again. Hayley's head wound was beginning to make her see double, and that wasn't good.

*

Relena heard the unmistakable sound of mech against mech, and raced to the window. Her eyes widened as they focused on all five Gundams, and a strange mech that she'd never seen before. They were still quite a way away, but better safe than sorry. She was about to send out an order to evacuate the school, when the videophone bleeped, nearly making her jump out of her skin. She trotted over to it and activated it. The face of Otashkin Wakenoi appeared. Relena bowed.

'Honoured sir…' she began, but Otashki stopped her.

'That's really not necessary, Miss Peacecraft. I shall be arriving in approximately one hour.' He paused, as his ears picked up the clashing sounds. 'What in the Colonies is going on?' 

'The Gundams are sparring with a strange four-legged mech…' Relena began, then gasped. She watched as the aforementioned mech dived between a shot from Wing Zero, which would've surely wiped the school off the map, and the school. The horse-mech was thrown back roughly.

'Relena! Are you there!?' Otashki's voice was concerned.

'Yes…Otashki…Is that Hayley?' Relena's voice shook with confusion.

'I shan't tell you anything that could put you in danger, Miss Peacecraft. I shall be patching through to my colleagues as soon as I have a positive link. Thank you for taking care of Miss Reo, Relena, you won't be forgotten. Evacuate the school.' The link was severed. The young headteacher began to evacuate the school.

*

'I don't care Heero!' Quatre's normally calm voice shook as he moved to help Duo, 'She helped us. She knows how to pilot this mech. She's useful, whatever you say.'

'That mech was working on its own.' said Heero coldly, 'Its pilot is dead.'

_Heero? _thought Hayley_, as in Heero Yuy?_

'Mobile suits can be piloted by anyone, Heero, don't be stupid.' Wufei's sneering voice grated against Heero's nerves.

'Not just anyone, Wufei,' Trowa said calmly.

Hayley's eyes fluttered open. The world was now the right way up once more. She realised that the two mobile suits standing at her flank had helped her to her feet. Espion swayed slightly, but then Hayley quickly pulled herself together. She was going to find out what was going on.

'Come with us.' said the voice of the person called Quatre. It didn't really sound like an order, it sounded more like a request. Hayley weighed up her options, and was suddenly reminded of the moment nearly five years ago when she'd had to make a similarly weighty choice. 

_No Trensa to try and kill me this time 'though, _she thought wryly. The thought of the snide, sharp-witted boy made her sad. He'd wanted to fight, protect his home from Oz. The thought of her best friend Emma nearly made her sob. She missed her so much. Now they were dead, and it was her fault. She'd killed them.

'My fault,' she whispered wretchedly. The teachings of the Doctor came back to her. It was hard, but she obeyed her training, and said in a sad monotone, 'All right.' 

*

Dr J. watched in awe as the five bipedal mobile suits landed, with Espion supported by Deathscythe and Sandrock. He raced as fast as he could towards the newly discovered suit.

'What on Earth happened?' he hissed. Duo, leaning out of the hatch of Deathscythe, shrugged and said, 'Like I know? All I know is, Heero was chasing the psychotic mech that got up and ran away, unpiloted, and then suddenly, it has a pilot, and she's helping us…' Duo's voice faltered as he met Dr J's icy stare.

_Geez, you coulda taught Heero to glare. Maybe you did._

'She?' The Doctor fiddled with his beard and said, 'is she still in there?'

'She should be,' said Trowa, climbing out of Heavyarms, 'there's no way she could've possibly got out.'

There was a noise like someone dropping a bag of cotton wool. Heero had jumped out of Wing Zero, and landed almost silently. Almost.

'Well, what are we waiting for?' growled Wufei, 'drag the onna out and punish her!'

'For what Wufei?' The Doctor's tone was pleasant, with a hint of hydrochloric acid. Wufei flinched, despite himself.

Hayley peered out of Espion's red-tinted viewscreen, and saw Dr J.

_Doctor? You're alive? Then maybe, just maybe, the others are too…_

Dr J. glanced up at Espion. Heero stepped up beside him. They both looked at it. For a while, no one said anything, even Duo.

Hayley decided that it was now or…now. She quietly asked her mobile suit to open its hatch, which it did. She took a deep breath, and jumped out into nothing.

She landed soundlessly. Even Trowa looked impressed. She stood up slowly and her hazel eyes took in the hangar and everyone in it. No one moved for a moment. Then the Doctor stepped forward, an acerbic smile on his face.

'My sincerest apologies, miss, but our little experiment seems to have gone astray.' Quatre looked at Duo. What the hell was going on? 

Hayley met his bespectacled gaze. Oh, it was this, was it? Well, she knew the script.

'I could not agree more, sir,' said Hayley, keeping her voice carefully level. The Doctor leered. 

He's always been good at that, thought Hayley,_ so what's coming next?_

'This…thing…has a glitch, a terrible problem.' Hayley followed his gaze up to Espion, and looked politely interested.

'Is the glitch running around the countryside unmanned and kidnapping public schoolgirls?' she inquired.

Trowa looked at the girl. Who the hell was she? Was she speaking in code? It seemed vaguely familiar.

Dr J. smiled again, and Hayley shuddered slightly. Now the interrogation began. She'd never thought that she'd ever be on the receiving end 'though.

'Who are you?' he asked coldly. She sidestepped the question neatly and shot back, 'Who are you and why have you kidnapped me?'

Heero darted forward and grabbed her arm, but she yanked free and focused. When she opened her eyes again, she was behind Heero, and pushed him hard. He stumbled and spun around, with fear in his eyes. Duo blinked. Heero? Scared? No way.

Heero backed away. The Doctor looked worried now. 'My name is Dr J.' he said, and continued, 'we have captured you because we wish to know why Gundam Alpha went to you.' Quatre and Duo started. Gundam Alpha?

'I wasn't aware that any mobile suit was capable of self locomotion,' said Hayley. The Doctor sighed.

Heero was acting strangely. He kept looking at Espion, then at Hayley, as though they were a sum that he didn't know the answer to, or at least, didn't know the value of one of the integers. Duo noticed.

_Espion plus…something, equals...equals…what?_

Hayley turned away from the little crowd of people, and began walking slowly back towards Espion. No one tried to stop her. She hadn't got a clue what was going on…well…that wasn't entirely true. She'd figured out that even though she and the Doctor had survived, Operation Umbra had been terminated, and these people were part of the replacement scheme. She wondered what this new operation was called. 

'Who are you? Why did Espion kidnap you?' asked Quatre, picking up quickly.

'Espion didn't kidnap me, I think I called it…' said Hayley faintly. She put her hand on her mech. Something she'd done so many times. The eyes faded to a soft, yet urgent kind of green. She heard the person called Wufei growl. This was going to be difficult.

'It's not a pet,' said Heero bluntly, 'it doesn't come when you whistle.'

Hayley shrugged. 'Believe what you like the idea of best. I prefer the truth.' Duo shook himself. Despite the way the Doctor, Heero and Wufei were reacting to the new girl, he shared Quatre's opinion, although it was worded slightly differently. 

He took a deep breath and said, 'I know skill when I see it. You kicked ass. You're okay with me, sister.' 

Heero glared at him. Duo took no notice. It was getting old anyway. 

The Doctor wasn't going to give up, but Hayley didn't mind. She'd tell them who she was, what she knew, no problem, and then, if they betrayed her, she'd kill them, all of them.

_Rule number twelve – Terminate traitors and enemies of the cause._

Hayley wondered what the next question was going to be. When it came, it surprised her.

'How old are you?' She smiled slightly.

_Too young to have to be dealing with stuff like this._

'Fifteen.'

'Where were you born?'

'Colony C-76.'

'Indeed.' The Doctor paused, and tilted his head to one side.

'Do you have any relatives?'

'No.'

Again he paused, then smiled nastily.

'Lose them, did you? That was careless.'

Hayley reeled internally. Ouch.

'What is your name?'

There was a silence so heavy that everyone in the room drew a short breath.

Hayley paused for a fraction of a second longer, then thought, _What the hell, they've probably never heard of me, and the Doctor doesn't remember me. I though he did, but I must have been mistaken…_

'Hayley. Hayley Reo.'

* 

Trowa's head shot up. Reo? Master O had always spoken fondly of a girl called Hayley Reo, and he'd mentioned at times a girl called Emma Kentley and, on occasion, a boy, but he couldn't remember the boy's name. His surname had been Mac-something…

'I was led to believe that the girl calling herself Hayley Reo was killed when a building collapsed on top of her back in AC 191.' Said the Doctor.

'No, I didn't die, at least, I don't think I did. I take it you survived too?'

This was the first indication to the others that Hayley knew Dr J., and none of them missed it. He smiled, and this time it wasn't acidic, but as genuine a smile as you were likely to get out of the old scientist. He shook his head and chuckled.

'Dropping a building on you wasn't enough eh? He he he heh.' Heero shuddered. He hated that laugh.

Incredibly, Trowa spoke up.

'Do you know a man called Otashkin Wakenoi, or a girl called Emma?' he asked in his quiet voice. Hayley looked at the ground.

'Yes,' she said, 'Otashki was my trainer up until I was eleven, and Emma was my best friend up until she died.' There was a sympathetic silence, broken by the sudden creak of joints as Hayley's mech got up and walked out of the hangar. All eyes were instantly on her.

'Why did you do that?' asked Heero in a dangerous voice. Hayley met his glare easily.

'I don't like Espion being in a hangar with people thinking of destroying it.' Hayley and Heero glared at each other for a good ten seconds. Wufei was stunned. He'd just had that thought a second ago, but how…?

'We're not going to get anywhere by just glaring at each other,' said Quatre sensibly. Hayley and Heero glared at him, and he flinched. Getting struck by the Yuy and Reo deathglare simultaneously (equivalent to the Yuy deathglare squared,) was not a nice thing. He rallied and carried on.

'Where have you sent Gundam Alpha?'

'Somewhere she'll be safe,' said Hayley quietly. Wufei snorted. The Doctor finally made to rejoin the conversation, but was stopped by a bleeping noise from his pocket. He pulled an old-fashioned digilink processor from his pocket and opened it. Duo stared.

'That thing's like, ten years old!' he exclaimed. _You'd expect evil scientists to have all the top gizmos._

Dr J. looked up. He wasn't going to bother to explain to Duo the importance of this bit of technology, how its frequency was unique in the universe, probably. Trensa had made it. He'd been very good with machines. What a pity Felflowne had never been finished…

'Excellent. Master O has reached Earth and is on his way here.'

'Excuse me? Why?' Duo, of course.

'We require his assistance in the adaptation of Gundam Alpha for space combat, after all, he helped to design it, and as Hayley's trainer and friend, I'm sure he'd like to see her again.'

Hayley's mind couldn't take it all in. Otashki was coming here. The Doctor was alive. Espion was intact, and remembered her. It would have been an awful lot better, however, had Trensa and Emma been there. She remembered how Emma had once sat her down and thanked her for helping Trensa. She'd been confused.

'What do you mean?'

'I mean, before you came, it seemed as though Trensa was becoming…I don't know…cold. Like one of them.'

'How've I helped?'

'He's more open now, just like he used to be. I'd be sad to lose the Trensa I grew up with.'

'You're his sister?'

'No, more like his adoptive sister. I've always been there with him. I don't know what I'd do without him.'

'You love him?' Emma had smiled sadly.

'Yes, very much, but not in that way.'

'I understand.'

It had been the day before Mission forty-seven.

She was shaken from her thoughts by Dr J. snapping the contraption shut. The boy called Heero turned and began to walk away, and another boy, whose name Hayley either hadn't heard or couldn't recall, followed him. She sighed. Some day, and it wasn't even over yet. Quatre stepped up to her and gave her a sympathetic look.

'Are you hungry?'

'No, I'm all right thank you.' Hayley looked around the hangar again. Those two-legged things were very impressive. She suddenly felt that she needed to be better informed. She turned back to Quatre and smiled slightly.

'Would it be possible for you to bring me up to speed?' Quatre hesitated, and turned to glance at his colleagues. Wufei shook his head. Trowa nodded slightly. Quatre turned back to her.

'Sure, no problem.'

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 


	5. Developments

The Original Age Part 5 - Developments

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

[Authors Note]-Thank you Dark Vengeance and DeathSi for the reviews. Yes, DV, that's right. I obviously wasn't being as subtle as I thought *sweatdrops* This is my first fic if you hadn't guessed, so I'm dead chuffed that someone reviewed. *hugs you both and laughs as you run away screaming* Arigato *bows*

****

**The Original Age Part 5 – Developments

By Espion

It's always me being brought up to date, thought Hayley miserably, _but I could've been someone. Oh I miss you Trensa…_

Quatre sensed that Hayley was getting tired, and the nasty head wound was taking it's toll, 'though she hid it well. He'd told her about how Operation Meteor had been implemented, and all about the numbered Gundams, and Wing Zero. She had taken it all in, up until now, with the same kind of sad resigned look on her face. Quatre realised that she felt she'd lost her place in the world. 

Hayley realised that Quatre had finished speaking and looked up. 

'Thanks, I appreciate the favour. I hope I'll be able to help you in some way…' Her sad tone of voice triggered something in Quatre. He walked over to her and shook her gently, and her head shot up in surprise.

'Hello? I'm speaking to the one of the original Gundam pilots. Respect, Okay?' Hayley blinked at him, then hung her head again.

'It's ironic that the weakest of the original three was the only one that survived.' She whispered bitterly. Quatre sighed. 

'We've seen you fight. You aren't weak, why would you say that?'

'My friends died because of me.'

*

Relena padded down the corridor of the Arts section of the school. Her head was in such a spin that she didn't trust herself to talk to anyone right now. She paused by a window. After all she'd done, no one would ever remember her, despite what Otashki had said, but she didn't mind at all. She had done her part in looking after Hayley, but now that Hayley was gone, she had no further purpose, except her duty to the school. She walked on. 

Most people who commented on the school had never been there, and simply assumed that she was using it as a facility to brainwash young students into believing her pacifist ideals. That was hurtful, as she'd never done anything of the sort. As soon as the War had truly begun, she'd realised that pacifism achieved nothing but only irritated other factions. Other factions who weren't pacifist. She had been sorry to go against her father's teaching, but where had they got the kingdom anyway?

A girl running towards her shook Relena from her thoughts. The girl was in the first year, but was already as tall as she was. Her name was Kaia, and she had also been 'given' to the school. Relena held out her hand to Kaia, and she grasped it frantically.

'Miss Peacecraft, you won't believe what I've just seen!' She stopped speaking and panted for a second.

Try me, thought Relena.

'It was…like a meteor. It lit up the sky.' Kaia took a deep breath. 'It landed in the mountains.' Kaia pointed out of the window. Relena followed the direction with her eyes, and gasped as she saw half the forest on fire.

*

'What the bloody hell was that?' cried Hayley as red light filled the room. Trowa was instantly at the window.

'Something's come down in the forest. Something big.'

*

'Relena, you can't go out there!' exclaimed Hilde, as she watched Relena saddle Atlantica helplessly. 'God knows what came down.' 

'I'm not going to get too close,' Relena reassured her, 'I just want to see what it was, ne?'

Kaia stood nearby, not wanting to leave in case she missed something. She had always had a better developed interest in current affairs than others in her year, and also, something was wrong…

'Miss Peacecraft,' she said, suddenly desperate to tell someone.

'Kaia, oh. You should get inside and stop the others panicking.' Relena gave her a smile. Kaia was often successful in calming the jitteriest of girls.

'There are two of them.' Hilde blinked.

'Two of what?'

*

'Heero and Duo are away, and Wufei isn't interested in "saving the rain forest" as he so eloquently put it,' muttered Quatre, 'but we've got to stop that fire before the entire forest is gone. It's almost our only cover.'

Hayley and Trowa both nodded.

'I have an idea,' said Hayley slowly.

*

'How do you know this?' Hilde asked Kaia. Kaia shook her head. 

'That isn't important, but what is, is that we reach the crash site before anyone else.' 

Hilde opened her mouth again, but Relena cut her off. 

'If that's true, then we'd better move quickly. Hilde, take Autumn, and Kaia, you take Suvius.'

*

'That's damn dangerous, Hayley,' muttered Trowa.

'Do you have any other ideas?' snapped Hayley. Her wound was beginning to make her edgy.

*

Relena pulled Atlantica up short as a burning branch crashed down in front of her. Atlantica snorted and champed but didn't bolt. Relena patted the horse's sweaty neck thankfully.

'It's getting more dangerous,' she muttered. She heard Hilde cry out as more branches fell.

'Hilde! Where's Kaia?' 

'She's okay. Suvius is looking after her.' Relena nodded. That was why she had given Kaia that horse. She knew that Suvius would look after the girl.

The three riders reached the clearing of the crash, and stood for a second to take in the sight.

A lanky looking machine had crashed into the side of the cliff, causing rocks to randomly fall onto it, but, Relena noticed, they didn't make any marks. The black skid marks showed that the machine had been travelling at a tremendous speed when it had crashed. Relena suddenly started.

'The pilot! Do you think they're okay?' Hilde slowly shook her head.

* 

'I'm positive. Fires need oxygen, so dropping carbon dioxide tanks into the flames should work. Anything, carbon dioxide doesn't burn.' 

'That's brilliant! Let's go.' Sandrock leapt forward, and as Trowa and Hayley used their Gundams to throw CO2 canisters towards the bladed mech, Sandrock's scimitars ruptured the tanks, sending the gas descending down onto the flames. The flames died, and Quatre muttered, 'Thank Allah.'

*

'Relena! No one could survive that impact! Get down!' cried Hilde as the slim girl climbed onto the machine.

'I just wanna see…' muttered Relena, her voice fading as she got further away.

*

'Guys, there's some people near that thing,' muttered Hayley as the three Gundam pilots made their way towards the cause of the recently extinguished fire.

'I'll get them away,' replied Trowa, 'You and Quatre find out what that thing is…' He was suddenly cut off by a loud thud.

'Trowa!' Quatre's voice rang out. Trowa stood up slowly and examined the rock that had been thrown at him. Much harder and it would have knocked him out.

'I'm okay, but there's someone around…' Hayley tensed and Focused. She opened her eyes again and found herself stood next to a younger girl with another rock in her hand. The girl gasped and turned to run, but Hayley grabbed her wrist and twisted the girl's arm behind her back. To her astonishment, the girl wrenched herself free and began to run. Hayley chased her. 

_She's fast, but I'm faster_, thought Hayley as she began to gain on their attacker. She was running towards the crash site.

Quatre and Trowa had run ahead and were lying in wait on either side of the rough track. 

'Trowa! Look!' whispered Quatre as a tall grey horse trotted past them, going in the opposite direction.

'What the…' mumbled Trowa, as there was the sound of cracking vegetation, and the horse galloped back, but now, someone was riding it. Kaia didn't know how Suvius had found her, but she was glad he had, as she was exhausted. 

'Hilde!' she cried, as she slid from Suvius' thin back, 'there are people coming. We've gotta go, 'cos I think they're…' 

'Here.' Finished off Hilde as Trowa broke out of the trees with Hayley and Quatre just behind.

'Relena get outta there now!' cried Hilde as she tried to grab Kaia and drag her away, but Kaia growled and grabbed a branch from the forest floor and swung it at Quatre, who jumped back. 

Trowa sprang forward and tried to restrain Kaia, but found himself on the receiving end of her attack. She swung the branch around, attempting to knock his legs from under him, but he wasn't a Gundam pilot for nothing, and dodged. He leapt forward and wrapped his arm around her neck, while Hayley ran towards the machine. Hilde hovered, unsure whether or not to run. Relena was still inside the machine. 

There was a yell from Trowa as Kaia bit him on the arm.

'Little scorpion,' he growled, as the smaller girl ran for her horse and vaulted onto it. At that second Relena emerged from the machine, holding something in her hand. She quickly took in what was going on.

_K'so, time to leave._

She leapt from the machine's head and clicked to Atlantica, who trotted towards her. Suddenly everything stopped.

Trowa looked up at the huge Gundam standing over them. Quatre and Hayley gulped, despite themselves. Wing Zero took in the scene. The machine that had caused so much fuss hadn't been moved, but about 50 yards from it, three women were standing on horseback. Hayley suddenly turned and ran towards the metal structure, and the three horsewomen turned and galloped away. Trowa and Quatre looked at each other helplessly, and Hayley stopped running. That had gone badly. Very, very badly. Wing Zero turned and shot off into the sky. 

'We messed that one up. We need to catch them!' said Trowa, but Hayley shook her head.

'They were from the school.'

'Relena's school?' replied Quatre in surprise.

'That little one's got a nasty bite,' muttered Trowa, looking at his bloody hand. Quatre walked over and took Trowa's hand in his, examining it.

'They took something…hey! This thing's a mobile suit!' Hayley exclaimed.

*

'What does it say, Relena?' asked Hilde after they were all back, with the horses fed and watered. 

Relena opened the Doc. Then she began to read.

'To whoever may find me. Ore no na wa Doloria. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.*' Relena looked up. 'This reads like an adoption letter.'

'Keep reading,' urged Kaia, her eyes shining.

'I have been sent from the colonies to aid you. My colleague lies undiscovered and incomplete. This is your mission.' Relena stopped.

'What?' asked Hilde, 'what is it?'

Relena looked up. 

'That's all. Well, what can I say?' A loud bang made Hilde and Relena both jump. Kaia had slapped her hand against the wall. She looked at them with a passionate gleam in her dark eyes.

'What can you say, except nimru ryokai?' Relena smiled.

'Indeed.'

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

I will answer all question posed by DeathSi in the next few chapters, I promise.

Ore no na wa ……. means My name is……. 

Yoroshiku onegai shimasu means Please take care of me.

Nimru Ryokai means Mission Accepted

K'so means….oh, don't you know? It means shit/damn/bugger, ya know.

Thank you reviewers!! Luv ya! *glomps you all*

Espion


	6. Lost and Found

The Original Age Part 6 - Lost and Found 

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 6 – Lost and Found

By Espion

Thank you Dark Vengeance (You'll see. She's a product of my unsubtle imagination!), Mayhem's Brainchild, (*blushes* Awww…thanks for the nice review) and D S S Offline (That's your name *whimpers* Je suis confuse!) for the reviews. I've made a vow to plan ahead, so my story won't seem too haphazard anymore, but forgive lack of updates in coming weeks, GCSEs, no da.

Hayley shrank away from the boy called Heero as he sprang onto the shoulder of the mech, and began to look for identifying marks.

Hayley didn't know why, but this guy was carrying a ton of suppressed anger and grief. When she'd first met him, it had nearly knocked her over. Maybe he'd lost someone to the war, like she had, but it was different with Heero, because mixed in with all the raw emotion hidden so deep inside his psyche, was hope. Hope that the people he'd lost would return. Hayley realised she looked spaced out and snapped out of it.

'Date's AC 192,' called Heero, dropping down onto the forest floor next to Trowa.

'It's another Gundam too,' muttered Quatre, 'the name's on the other side; Gundam Omega.'

'We have to destroy it. Now,' said Heero, 'The nation's media will descend upon this valley soon, and we'll be in the floodlight.'

'Relena would be able to draw attention away from us,' spoke up Hayley. One by one all five others looked at her. She carried on, 'That's why she looked after me at the school, and didn't let on that I was here.' 

'Woah, back up…' began Quatre, but Duo interrupted.

'It's raining mech! Alleluia, it's raining mech…eep!' Duo's rendition of the hit by The Weathergirls was cut short by Heero grabbing his braid as he walked past without slowing down. Just as quickly, he stopped, clapped his hand over Duo's mouth and motioned to the others that someone was approaching. Five seconds later, the clearing was empty.

*

'Relena?' Hilde tapped gently on the door to Relena's study.

'Yes?' asked Relena, taking off her reading glasses as her best friend entered the room.

'I'm sure I'm just getting edgy over nada, but I have to ask; Where's Kaia?'

Relena stopped breathing.

'Wasn't she in self-defence class?' Hilde took that class at the school.

'No, and none of her friends know where she is…Relena?'

'Oh God!' Relena put her hand over her mouth. She'd gone back. Of course she would go back. 

Relena didn't quite understand how or why yet, but this… thing… that had happened was deadly important to the young girl. If only she could see the bigger picture. Kaia wouldn't be looking out for the Gundam pilots in the woods, because although she'd seen them, she would probably assume they were just muggers. Relena tried to avoid the areas of the forest that she knew they used, but they were still there, and dangerous.

*

Kaia stepped out of the undergrowth and looked around. She knew that there were people around, but she hoped that she'd be done by the time they arrived.

Almost exactly as Heero had done, she sprang onto the shoulder of the machine and read the information printed there. Then she hopped over to the other side and read the other information. 

'If you're here…' she muttered, '…then surely… 'Flowne is close.'

*

Heero motioned for Duo, Wufei, Trowa and Quatre to lie in ambush while he and Hayley went forward to apprehend the girl.

'Hey,' whispered Trowa, 'it's her, the scorpion. Watch it, guys, she's tougher than she looks.' Heero nodded, and then the two of them crept forward.

*

Kaia was oblivious to the danger she was in as she pottered about around Doloria. She was set on finding the hatch, and had a feeling it was in the head. Above her, a rock that had been loosened by the original impact shifted slightly, causing dust to fall onto Doloria. 

*

Heero and Hayley drew closer, and Heero levelled his gun at the unaware target, preparing to kill. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Hayley grabbed his wrist and pulled it down. He shot her a glare of previously unequalled venom, which she easily countered.

'What the hell did you do that for?' he whispered visciously, as he saw Kaia looking around for the source of the noise.

'Just listen Yuy, and listen good. You kill that girl, and you'll regret it.' The iciness of her words almost drew a shiver out of her stoic companion.

'I never regret anything,' growled Heero. This was bad. If Hayley knew something, then she _knew _it. No questions. He reluctantly lowered his gun again. Hayley blinked. That had been easy. From what she'd been able to figure out about Heero, he wasn't easily persuaded. 

'Why did you do that?' asked Hayley quietly.

'What?'

'Listen to me.'

Heero just grunted and focused on the girl again. She had just heard the noise of someone approaching and was looking frantically for somewhere to hide. She didn't find one quick enough, and Heero cursed under his breath as Relena walked into the clearing. He heard other very muffled curses emanating from his comrades' hiding places.

Relena had twisted her hair up with a clip to keep it out of her face, and she was still wearing her glasses. I doing so, she had unwittingly made herself look like Lady Une.

'Kaia, what the hell are you doing out here?' Relena's voice was angry, but also concerned, when Kaia didn't answer.

'It's not safe here, you should have stayed in the school.'

'You don't understand.' Came Kaia's voice, 'This is important, and you don't understand why.'

'Tell me why, then I'll understand,' said Relena gently.

'No, I don't want you to know. You're too nice to know. I'm not going back to the school. You'd better go.'

'What do you mean?' Relena was confused. Too nice? 

'Get away from here, I don't want to…' Kaia's voice broke slightly. Relena felt a chill go down her spine. This was all too familiar. Kaia turned and raised her arm, which was holding a nasty looking weapon. Hayley gasped.

'What the hell is she doing?'

Heero didn't answer, but he knew he'd have to kill one of the people in the clearing, for the safety of the other. Problem was, he didn't know which.

'Kaia…' muttered Relena. She didn't look away, and Kaia broke eye contact first.

'Just go, I don't want to… but I will.'

'Why?' Relena wasn't afraid now. She was sure that she could talk Kaia around.

'It's best if you don't know,' replied Kaia, brushing her dark brown hair out of her eyes with her other hand.

'It's about this thing, ne?' Relena pointed to Doloria. Kaia growled. She looked to Doloria for a second, then back to Relena, who was standing perfectly still.

*

'What's she doing?' muttered Duo, 'that kid is crazy!'

'I don't think so,' replied Quatre.

'They'd better move soon, 'cos I don't like the look of that,' said Duo, motioning toward the huge rock over the two people in the clearing.

*

'You don't think I'd do it, do you?' said Kaia, her eyes narrowing. Relena held up her hands quickly.

'Oh, I know you'd do it, don't worry about that.'

'Then why are you still here?' Kaia stepped towards her, 'Why?'

Relena opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, a noise from the cliff face stopped her. She turned slowly. A boulder the size of a minivan was rolling incredibly fast down the cliff towards her and Kaia. Kaia's jaw dropped as the rock bore down on them, and her feet seemed to be fixed to the ground. Her gun was still trained on Relena. 

'Oh God!' cried Hayley, and shot forward out of the bushes. She watched helplessly as Relena grabbed Kaia's arm and pulled her to the ground. A gunshot rang out, and rock hit the ground.

*

'Aaaaaaaargh! Get off mee!' Her tormentor stood over her and watched her curl herself up into a ball with glee.

'Had enough?' he asked cruelly, grabbing the girl's chestnut coloured hair and yanking her head back.

'Please… Please leave me alone… I've done nothing wrong…'

The man threw her down and stalked away.

'We'll see how responsive you are in the morning. I don't usually take this much trouble with the likes of you, guess that makes you special, love.' He leered nastily. The broken girl pulled herself up onto her elbows and glared at him with as much hatred as she could, but her vision was beginning to swim. She sank slowly down, and as she lost consciousness, muttered, 'Omae o korosu, kisama.'

*

Hayley, Duo and Quatre ran towards the huge boulder. Trowa found Kaia lying against a tree not far away, covered in blood. She slowly regained consciousness, and then what had happened returned to her in a flash. She looked woozily up at the face above her, and muttered, 'Who are you?' Trowa didn't answer, but helped her to her feet anyway.

'It looks as though you're badly hurt,' he said quietly, but Kaia shook her head.

'This isn't my blood,' she whispered.

*

Relena had been knocked further away by the impact, and was lying in some longish grass about ten metres away from Kaia. She tried to sit up, but fell down again, groaning. 

_Ow, _she thought,as she checked herself for cuts.

_OW!_ She continued, as she found where Kaia's shot had hit her, in her right arm. It had grazed her arm deeply, and there was blood everywhere. 

_Calm, calm, calm, calm, _she told herself firmly. The bleeding seemed to have been largely restricted by her shirt, so there didn't seem to be any need the wrap it in any way. She got carefully to her feet, using her left arm to push herself up.

_Kaia,_ she thought, and began to make her way back to Doloria.

*

'Who are you?' asked Kaia, looking bemusedly at Hayley, who was wiping the blood off of her face. Hayley smiled.

'That doesn't matter, who are you?'

'Kaia,' muttered Kaia. There seemed to be a lot of people around her.

'Just Kaia?' asked Quatre kindly. Kaia tried to focus on who'd spoken.

'I don't have a middle name…'

'No, surname.'

Kaia's head was fuzzy from where she'd hit the tree, but the fuzz was gradually clearing.

'Where's Miss Peacecraft?' she asked. Hayley looked away.

'We don't know,' she said quietly.

*

Relena silently made her way back through the forest to the clearing, but paused as she heard Duo's voice.

'Correction, we haven't looked.' 

She wondered what they were talking about. Then she spotted Kaia, right in the middle of the group. Good, she was all right. She'd leave her here; she'd be all right. She obviously had links with the Gundam pilots, and this was the best place for her. 

Relena turned, and to her horror, found her way barred by three men. One was her caretaker, and the other maintenance workers from the school. From the looks on their faces it was obvious that they hadn't come to escort her home.

'These woods aren't safe Miss Peacecraft,' sniggered one of the maintenance workers, taking a step forward.

'Yeah, a lady could really get hurt.' agreed his colleague.

Relena was scared. She couldn't run into the clearing, because then she would've led the undercover agents to their goal, and she couldn't take them on herself, not three of them, with a hurt arm.

'Don't you think it's a little unfair, three men against a fifteen year old girl?' she said quietly, making her voice shake.

'We aren't gonna take any chances, missy,' growled the only man who hadn't spoken yet. 

*

'What was that?' asked Kaia, as her sharp ears picked up gruff male voices. She suddenly found herself under Doloria as Heero and Trowa sprang forward and into the surrounding trees. 

*

'Grr…' growled Relena as one man tried to grab her, 'You people sicken me!'

'Please make her stop hurting me,' mock-whined the man who had tried to catch her. He lunged again, and his fingers grasped her left wrist, but she was ready. She spun around and hit him in the stomach with her bad arm as hard as she could. Pain shot through her, but her attacker crumpled to the ground, and she turned and ran away from them, into the forest.

*

Heero quickly took out the two men who were left, staring in shock at their fallen colleague. Trowa called from near the clearing.

'Look,' he was holding Relena's hair clip. 

'She was wearing that,' said Heero thoughtfully, 'so she's either dead or she isn't.'

'Well done Einstein,' muttered Duo crabbily, 'I think we'd all figured that out.'

'Who were those men?' asked Hayley.

'Oz operatives within the school. One of them was the caretaker, look.' Hayley took a card from the man's pocket.

Kaia was still sat where they'd thrown her. She was in shock. None of the others had seen, because they'd all been running towards the men, but when she heard her teacher growl, Doloria had twitched.

* 

'Ah, you're awake, Xara, come and meet these people. The man grabbed her hair and dragged her to where three unpleasant people were leering around the room.

'I have a name,' growled the girl, 'It's Emma, not Xara.' The man twisted her hair, and she whimpered in pain.

'If I say your name is Xara, then it bloody well is. Understand?

**

ooohh? Who's he? Thanx for reviewin, sorry this part is short…


	7. Rendezvous

The Original Age Part 7 - Rendezvous

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 7 – Rendezvous

By Espion

'These people have shown an interest in you, Xara, 'though I can't imagine why…' Tsudiko threw Emma down again.

One of the three stepped forward.

'We have been sent to retrieve a bride for the Prince of our country, and she will do nicely.' He leered at Emma.

'Really scraping the barrel coming here then, aren't you?' muttered Emma. She was rewarded with a kick.

'Silence, and be thankful they came before I could get hold of you, wench!' 

Emma lay still on the ground. For what seemed like forever she'd had to put up with this kind of treatment, because she'd had nowhere else to go when Tsudiko had found her sitting outside the spaceport on Colony A, the main centre. What Tsudiko didn't know, because Emma had never told him, was that despite the fact that she couldn't remember how she'd got to A, her memory was completely intact.

There was no doubt about that. Only someone who could remember everything about her friends' deaths would lie awake and cry about it at night, and have such horrific nightmares.

Despite her kind nature, Emma was rapidly reaching the end of her rope. She was kept constantly weak by not be given enough to eat, as Tsudiko knew that she would kill him if she ever got well. Her only hope was her only friend, Eron.

*

'Relena!' Hilde ran to her friend as she saw her entering the school gates. In one glance she took in her injuries.

'What happened?' Relena took a deep breath.

'Kaia went back to Doloria, like you said, but when I went to bring her back, she didn't want to come.'

Hilde felt that she'd glossed over some part of that, but since she wanted to find out more, said, 'Go on.'

'A rock fell from the cliff, and I got hurt, then I wandered back here.'

'Where's Kaia?'

'With them.'

'Oh.'

Hilde pulled Relena's left arm over her shoulders and said, 'We will find out what's going on, whether 'they' like it or not, ne?'

Relena smiled, 'I have to follow what that Doc. told me told me to do.'

Hilde began to help her friend back towards the school. 

'Look after it? How?'

'I think the best thing to do first would be to move it somewhere safer; somewhere where it's out of sight.'

'You've gotta be joking, they'll never let you get near that thing now!'

Relena sighed, 'I know, but I've got to try.'

*

Kaia sat next to Hayley, and stayed quiet. She didn't really know what was going on, but she knew she was in trouble. A black haired boy leaning against the far wall gave her random glares, which she didn't bother to return. Finally she had to ask.

'Are you gonna kill me or what?' Hayley's head shot up.

'Kill you? Why?'

'Why not?'

Hayley didn't answer immediately, but then said, 'We're waiting for some other people to arrive, who know more about what's going on than we do…'

'Most of the time,' muttered Wufei from across the room. Hayley nodded weakly in agreement.

Kaia didn't answer, because an answer wasn't required. Furthermore, she couldn't stand chatterboxes, and she was damned if she was gonna be one, ever.

The door opened, and Heero, Quatre and Duo came in. Duo did a double take when he saw Kaia sat next to Hayley.

'Woah, the kindergarten is officially open,' he said. Kaia glared at him.

'Argh! No!' Duo flinched and sat down next to Quatre. He poked the Arabian pilot and surreptitiously pointed at Kaia.

'Scar-ee.' He informed him. Quatre rolled his eyes. Heero sat down on the other side of Hayley. Now only Trowa was missing, thought Hayley, and…

The door opened again, and Trowa entered, followed by the five ugliest men Kaia had ever seen.

{AN Well, have you seen them? Ew!}

*

Relena tried to peel off the bandage that Hilde had put on her arm, but it wouldn't budge. She picked up her mug of coffee. Hilde looked up at her, and she sighed.

'Hilde, I had this weird idea last night…'

'Goddamn dangerous, no da.' Hilde smirked.

'Hee hee. Anyway, you know that thing in the forest…'

'…how could I forget…'

'…did you notice any weapons on it?' Hilde thought. Not many, but there was one…

'Yeah, there was a conduit running up its neck, and that means there's probably a weapon in the head somewhere.'

Relena looked thoughtful.

'Why?'

'It just struck me that it seemed more of a defensive than offensive kind of machine.'

Hilde paused. She was right.

'I thought, that perhaps, since that machine is from a different time than the Gundams, that it came from a time when attitudes to war were different.'

'Dorothy alert,' warned Hilde, but Relena shook her head.

'No, you don't understand. What if, when Hayley and her friends were still fighting, the attitude was more creative?'

'You're losing me 'lena…' groaned Hilde.

'Take Hayley's suit for example. It has just one weapon. One. Compare that with the godzillion that any of the Gundams have.'

'What are you getting at?'

'I'm not sure myself, I just don't really know how to explain it, but say this age, this age of less weaponry, was brought to an end when Hayley's mission failed.'

'Yeah. Oh, I see. So after the failure of Hayley and the others' mission, the developers changed their strategy to one of all out destruction.'

Relena smiled sadly, 'So it seems.'

'So where does Doloria fit in?'

'It doesn't.'

'What?'

'Don't you see? It shouldn't be here; it's a machine of the past. Somehow they've gotta sort this before Operation Meteor goes the way of the dinosaurs.'

*

'I appreciate that the last week or so has been a bit of a strain,' mumbled Dr J, 'but you're all trained Gundam pilots, and should be able to cope. The reason we are here is because we understand there are some questions, which require answers.' He paused and looked around the room, 'Is this true, or have we come here for no reason?'

'I have a question,' said Duo, putting his hand up.

'Duo.'

'Who's she?' he pointed at Kaia.

'We are not entirely sure, but she is definitely a part of this.'

'Why does Hayley's suit have so few weapons?' asked Trowa. J paused.

'It comes from a different era of design, Trowa. We held the belief then that there was more to battle then annihilating the enemy, but the failure of the initial mission prompted us to change our plans.'

'What's that mech in the forest?' asked Quatre. H spoke up.

'Another of our discarded beliefs was that we should also be responsible for the evacuation of citizens before we attacked a location.'

'What was wrong with that?' Quatre again. The developers looked uneasy. They obviously didn't want to answer the question.

'They wanted to kill the citizens to get their point across.' All eyes were suddenly on the person who'd spoken, sat on the left-hand side of Hayley.

'That is… not correct at all… any other questions?' J said quickly. Kaia shut her eyes. She shouldn't have said anything.

'Yeah, I got another question, but it's for Hayley,' said Duo. Hayley looked away from Kaia and looked up at the long haired boy.

'That thing you do, when you suddenly appear behind people, how d'you do that?'

'You mean Focusing?' They all heard the capital.

'I don't know, but it kinda works like, you make it impossible for anyone to focus on you, then you can move without being seen.'

'How?'

'Look, it's complicated, and odds are you wouldn't all believe me anyway, so, d'you wanna leave it at that?'

Duo nodded. 'Thanks.'

'What are we going to do with the Dragon?' asked Wufei.

'We have to move it, but where to?' There was a couple seconds silence. Kaia had to say something, but she wasn't going to risk a repeat performance of what had happened before. She leant forward and whispered in Hayley's ear. Hayley blinked.

'There's a cave in the mountains about thirty miles from here.'

'Is it big enough?'

Hayley looked at Kaia, who nodded.

*

Felflowne aka Espion. I haven't had a chance to check my mail, but I'm so glad that people like my fic. If anyone is worried, this is NOT NOT NOT a HY/RP fic *Ew* I think standard Yaoi pairing apply, but, you know. 


	8. Speed

The Original Age Part 8

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 8 - Speed

By Espion

**

'All of this seems, I don't know, more arty…' One by one the pilots looked at Quatre, except Heero and Hayley.

'I mean, now mobile suit design is governed by practicality and economy, but then, I mean, having a mobile suit shaped like a horse with a beam sabre as a 'horn', seems unthinkable now…' 

'You're right, that's why we abolished the system. The 'Dragon', as you called it Wufei, has a powerful buster weapon in its head, located to shoot out between its jaws. Because it was only intended as a passenger vehicle, that weapon was for self defence only…'

'Who was the pilot?' Duo interrupted. Hayley looked up. Even she didn't know that. Otashki stepped out from behind Dr J.

'We never found one in time, before the Operation was wiped out.'

'Yeah, that reminds me,' said Trowa, looking thoughtful, 'this one-person system, the one which gave Heero such a headache, what's that all about?'

Otashki looked at his student and answered, 'At that time we all considered a one-person system would provide us with more security, should the Gundam ever fall into enemy hands.' Trowa nodded.

*

'Where are you going now?!' Hilde leant out of the window as she saw Relena saddling Suvius. Relena blinked.

'I'm only going for a ride in the mountains, wanna come?' Relena smiled innocently.

'Nuh uh, that ride takes three days! And you shouldn't be riding! Your arm, remember?' 

'Come on, Hild' it's the holidays! I'll even let you pick your horse. My arm's better now, anyway.'

Hilde groaned. There was just no arguing with her. 'Alright, I'll come, but have you got everything?'

Relena pointed to the two small bags leaning against the wooden paddock fence.

'Can you tack up Ohki? I'll be right down.' Hilde's face disappeared from the window.

*

'But if the Dragon has the one-person system, then how're we gonna move it?' Wufei asked.

'It has the system, but it was never programmed. We'll be able to control it ourselves, from this base, that is, if no one's gone inside it while it's been lying out there…' The pilots exchanged looks.

'What? No one's been into it, have they?' Trowa wasn't sure, but he thought he'd seen someone jump out of it when they'd first met Kaia. Kaia shifted uneasily in her seat. Hayley turned to her.

'Do you know, Kaia?'

'Even if I did…'

'You must tell us, young lady,' J interrupted her, 'for the sake of the mission…'

Kaia resisted the temptation to say 'Screw you,' and remained silent. Heero glanced at her. She didn't have her head down, and her eyes were still on J, wanting him to break eye contact, not her. 

'Miss Peacecraft retrieved a Doc. from the machine,' she said eventually.

'Ah,' said Dr G.

'Oh dear,' said Otashki.

*

'Woohoo!' cried Hilde as Suvius and Ohki thundered neck and neck out of the forest and onto the stony mountain pass.

'Hey, look,' said Relena, slowing her tall grey-white gelding to a halt and turning to look down into the valley. Hilde stopped the Pinto Ohki and looked as well.

'Wow. Big mess,' she said, as she saw the scar Doloria had carved into the forest below, 'I wonder how they'll deal with that.'

'They'll deal with it, and that's all we have to worry about…' Relena turned Suvius a little sharper than she'd intended to, and as the flexible animal sprang round, she fell ungracefully off. 

'Ow! Godammit!' Relena grabbed Suvius' bridle and pulled herself up, 'honestly, some days…Hilde?'

*

'How long was she inside?' Kaia backed slightly away from the Doctor as he advanced on her.

'Not long. Three minutes?'

'Long enough,' muttered the Doctor wearily, 'this may be a little more complicated than we previously imagined…'

'Heero, you need to find that Doc. the Peacecraft girl took, and bring it back.' Otashki said.

Heero nodded. 'Mission accepted.' He left the room.

Hayley stared after him. 

'Couldn't he've just said 'k'?'

*

'Hilde! Hilde, where are you!' Relena's voice was simply swallowed by the mountains. Suddenly Relena heard Ohki whinny, and turned Suvius towards the noise. It seemed to come from the bush behind her, but also from down in the valley. Relena stuck her head into the bush.

'Hilde!'

'Yeah, we fell in,' came Hilde's voice, sounding strangely refracted.

Relena jumped off of her favourite horse and leant further into the bush.

'Don't lean! You'll fall!' cried Hilde.

'Yaaaargh!' cried Relena as she fell.

*

Sorry this part is short, 'cos I had two exams today. Sorry to everyone about the bugger-up I made on the last chapter. Chapter 7 is now installed!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

I just want to make my opinions about Yaoi clear. I think its cute and perfectly acceptable, but there are het couples in Anime!! I think you should be able to choose whichever you want without fear of having the piss taken outta you.

Felflowne

If anyone's wondering, I am a girl… But you knew that…right?


	9. Locomotion

Disclaimers Note - 

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 9 - Locomotion

By Espion

Relena found herself being pulled to her feet.

'Wha… what happened?' said Relena groggily as she tried to focus on the person.

'You fell down the same hole we did. Leads all the way down here…' said Hilde, but then she stopped speaking as she turned and saw Doloria behind them.

'All the way down here?' muttered Relena, who hadn't seen the mobile suit yet, 'but we were all the way up there.' She waved vaguely in the direction they had come from. 

'Relena,' said Hilde.

'How did we manage not to get hurt?'

'Relena!'

'And how did Ohki manage to fall with you, Suvius isn't here…'

'RELENA!!' yelled Hilde finally.

Relena looked around. 

'I don't fucking well believe it,' she growled.

*

'The temporary shield barrier we put up around Gundam Omega has been breached,' said Quatre, looking up from the computer screen.

'Maybe it's the Peacecraft girl. We can catch her and find out exactly what happened,' said Wufei.

'How easy will that be?' asked Hayley.

Duo snorted.

'Hello, this is Relena we're talking about here. Not too taxing, I'd say.'

Kaia was standing looking out of the window. She didn't turn around as she said-

'It doesn't pay to underestimate your opponents, ever.' 

Duo turned.

'You keep outta this, squirt.' Kaia snarled at him, and he backed away.

Hayley put her hand on Kaia's arm, and slowly towed her away from Duo.

Duo was left scratching his head in confusion as Hayley proceeded to tow Kaia out of the room.

*

She couldn't take it. Even with her training, the strain of living here was beginning to show. It was going to drive her mad.

Emma sat up slowly and glared at the person who'd made her life hell.

'I'll kill you,' she said calmly.

'What!' Tsudiko strode towards and grabbed her roughly. Emma's face twisted into a smile. This time she was ready. She'd been conserving her energy for just long enough.

'Help!!!' she yelled as loud as she could.

Tsudiko and his clients sniggered.

'That's it? Well, there ain't no one to help you here…' he stopped as the underground room began to shake.

'What!' he backed into the wall.

'You! You're doing this!' He yelled at her again, but this time there was fear mixed in with his anger. Emma stood up carefully.

'I will kill all of you,' she said in the same terrible calm voice. 

The room shook more violently. It was almost as if some huge creature was trying to dig them out of the ground. Bits of ceiling plaster began to fall, and suddenly the left wall was speared by a huge spike about four feet long, two feet wide, and curved like a claw at the end. 

Tsudiko screamed. 

The huge barb withdrew, taking the wall with it. Emma sprang forward and grabbed onto the spike as it ascended. Tsudiko and his clients watched in horror as the spike was revealed to be attached to the head of an enormous mech standing over them all. Emma was on its head. They watched in amazement as Emma swung herself into the mech, and the eyes glowed a livid dark red. The four legged mech lifted its front leg and began to smooth over the earth it had just disturbed, its pilot ignoring the screams of the trapped men.

*

'Oh! Just look where we are!' yelled a very pissed off Relena, 'by this thing. AGAIN. If I didn't know better, I'd swear somebody wants me in their way all the time!'

'Relena, calm down,' said Hilde as calmly as she could, 'it was by accident that we ended up here, anyone would understand.'

'Let's get outta here. I need to find Suvius…' Relena turned to Doloria and yelled, 'What ever you want, I'm not gonna do it, understand?! Leave me alone!!' She turned away from it again.

'It's only a bit of metal Relena, it can't 'want', you know,' said Hilde as they began the long walk back to where they'd been before.

'I know that, but... what the hell?' Relena and Hilde spun around, and the last thing they saw was a huge thin mech lunging at them.

*

'What is it with the sprout? Why has she got that… thing?' Duo pondered as he and Trowa drove the now familiar route to the crash site. Trowa didn't answer, as he correctly assumed that Duo was talking to himself.

'It's a good thing that the Lords of Plague knew how to set up a cloaking shield around this valley,' Duo chattered on, 'otherwise, who knows… what the fuck? It's moved!'

*

'Relena?' cried Hilde, standing up. She hadn't been hit, but the sudden rush of air from the moving machine had blown her backwards.

She looked up at the mech and saw that it was now lying on its side, and on the side of its head, Relena was getting to her feet.

'How did you get up there?' yelled Hilde. Relena put her finger to her lips.

'Sh, someone'll hear. I don't know, but I'm getting down, like, right NOW!' She took one step, and then the hatch below her opened of its own accord, and she fell in.

****

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Again, Gomen Nasai for the shortness, but I always write short chapters when exciting stuff is coming up. Also, I changed my mind about the pairings, and now there probably won't be any. I'm an Adventure/Action writer, and not a very good fluff writer.

I think I've answered all of DeathSi's Questions now…

If you wanna see something in particular happen in this fic, just review and tell me, I like reviews!!

Hey, what did you mean DarkVengeance, when you said it would be sick if I wasn't a girl? All my friends had a godd laugh about that, but…ohh *snifs*

*pulls out Relena Torture list*

Yop, I've done getting shot… *tic*

…falling down a cliff *tic*

Please suggest some Relena hurting things, I'm running out!

*glomps all reviewers* Arigato, ja ne! 

Felflowne


	10. Realisation of the Inevitable

The Original Age Part 10 - Realisation of the Inevitable

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 10 – Realisation of the Inevitable

By Espion

Duo leapt over the door of the general-purpose vehicle and sprinted towards where the Dragon was now lying in its new position. It was a couple of seconds before he noticed the short girl rapping on the hatch of the mech with her knuckles. Trowa ran up beside him.

'We need to find out what happened,' he said, 'and she's the only person around.' 

They walked over towards the girl.

*

'Lena! Can you hear me?' Hilde banged on the hatch again. Surprisingly, when her friend spoke, she could hear her voice clearly.

'Yes, but I can't get out, the hatch has locked on both sides.'

Hilde tried to pull open the hatch, but ended up hurting her fingers. She sank back thoughtfully, sucking them.

'I have a small request…' said Relena.

'Yes?'

'GET ME THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!' There was a bang from inside.

'Calm down, I'll get you out… I hope.'

'Sure, I'm calm, I mean, why wouldn't I be, I'm just out riding, trying to stay as far away from this hunk of rubbish as I can, when suddenly...Pah.' Relena slumped inside the machine.

The cockpit of the Gundam was a mass of blinking lights. From the ceiling hung two robotic levers with what looked like knuckle-dusters at the end of them. She realised that the pilot was supposed to put their fingers into them, and then use them to control movement. In the centre of the pad in front of her there was a large control stick with a red button on the top of it. She had a good feeling that she shouldn't touch it, as she knew what it was. It was the control for the weapon that Hilde had described to her. In fact, had she not been blinded with fear, she'd've found the cockpit very interesting.

*

'Excuse me.' Trowa tapped Hilde on the shoulder. She spun around, and Trowa looked surprised.

'Hey, don't I know…?' But Hilde interrupted him.

'It just suddenly moved, we couldn't get outta the way…Oh my God…' She ran over to the hatch again, and drew an Allen key from behind her ear and began to frantically try to unbolt the hatch. Trowa grabbed her shoulder again and turned her around. She glared, but then stopped as she realised who she was glaring at. She lowered her head, and said quietly, 'You've gotta get her outta there.'

'Who?' asked Duo, looking around, 'what happened?'

Hilde took a deep breath; she had to make this clear.

'We were up there (She pointed) riding, when my horse and me fell into a hole in the mountain. It led down here. She leant forward to see where we'd gone, and she fell in too. Then, as we were about to go back up to find her horse, that… thing… (She motioned at Doloria) lunged at us, and managed to get her on the side of its head, here. (She walked forward and touched where Relena had been) Then, when she was about to get off, the hatch opened on its own, and she fell in. Then it locked.' 

She looked at Trowa hopefully. He looked completely confused. 

'She…?' He prompted Hilde.

'Oh…of course. Relena.' Duo blinked.

There was another bang from inside.

'Hilde, what's going on out there?' Relena's voice made both Gundam pilots look up.

'Wait a tic, she's in there?' Duo shot Hilde a questioning look.

'YES!' cried Hilde.

'Well, I suppose it's unfortunate for you, but since you're in there…' He was cut off by a squeak from the cockpit of the mech.

'What's wrong?'

'N…Nothing, this kind of camera scanned me, but its stopped now…' Hilde looked at Trowa.

'What was it?' He shrugged.

'I don't know. We don't even know this mech's name.'

'Its name is Doloria,' said Hilde, 'does that help?'

'How d'you know that?' asked Duo, but Hilde held up a hand to silence him.

'We're getting away from the point of this entire conversation. I need to get her outta there.'

She suddenly looked around her. It had just occurred to her that there might be people in the bushes.

'Well, actually, since she's in there, we need to ask her something.' Trowa shot a glance at Duo. Might as well get it over with.

__

Ten minutes later

'You have got to be joking,' spluttered Relena when Duo had finished, 'do you have a death wish?'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Duo now had a large headache.

'Okay, you're proposing that I take this thing to a cave somewhere. Did it ever occur to you that I have no idea how it works? I'll probably manage to destroy the entire forest before I figure it out.'

'Hey, you weren't our first choice either, but it's your own fault.' Duo snapped

'What? How is it my fault?'

'You were the one who went inside it first, ne?'

'I guess…but…'

'So now it thinks that you're its pilot.'

Silence. Then Relena spoke.

'How does it think?'

'Good question, I have absolutely no idea. So, are you gonna do it or what?'

Hilde looked up at the mech lying on its side, with Relena imprisoned inside. Somehow, she knew what Relena was going to say.

'I claim no responsibility for any damage I cause,' said the trapped girl, 'Okay, what do I do?'

'Try getting up,' suggested Hilde.

'Smart first move,' agreed Duo.

*

Heero crept along the outside of the school, keeping in shadow. He had no idea where to go, as he hadn't been given any pre-mission information. He'd just have to listen out for information. Hayley watched him just standing there and tutted. 

She dropped out of the tree she was in and landed silently next to him. As he spun around she said, 'Alternatively, you could just ask me where her office is, ne?'

'Hn,' said Heero.

'End of the Arts corridor, combination for the door is 4n86k9f. Good luck.' She turned and simply melted into a passing group of students. Heero blinked. That had been easy. He stole into the school, avoiding the teachers, and was soon on his way back to the base with the offending Doc. in his hand.

*

'What happened?'

'The tail twitched,' said Hilde. Relena sighed.

She had put her fingers through the control loops, and was methodically trying each position.

'Hey, what do you suppose would happen if I did this…' she twisted her hands so they were one above the other, with the palms facing each other.

Hilde and Trowa dived out of the way as fifty tonnes of Gundanium rolled over onto its belly.

'Okay, I just have to move like it moves, sort of,' Relena muttered to herself.

'Have you got it?' called Hilde.

'I don't think I'll ever really 'get it' Hilde, but if you mean 'do I have a basic idea how it works', then yes.'

'I wonder what this does…' Relena muttered to herself.

'Might as well try it,' muttered Duo, 'cos it doesn't look like you're ever gonna get outta there.'

Relena pressed the blue button. Instantly, she could see out of the front screen.

'Cool, it's the right way up,' she said.

'You turned on the viewscreen,' said Trowa.

'Guess so,' said the captive girl.

*

Heero walked into the base and put the Doc. on the table. The base seemed deserted, but then he found Quatre sitting in front of the main computer.

{AN- How hard did he look?}

'I got the Doc. Where are the others?' he asked. Quatre looked up.

'Oh, hello Heero. Trowa and Duo are checking out the breach of the security shield, and I don't know where Wufei is.'

Just then the radio crackled.

'Quatre, are you there?' Quatre spun his chair around and pulled the microphone towards him. 

'Yes, Trowa, what did you find?'

Hilde looked at the tall boy as he began to explain.

'There was an accident.'

'Is everybody alright?'

'Relena Peacecraft is trapped inside the Dragon.'

'Allah preserve us, d'you want to speak to Heero?'

Heero took the mike.

'What is it Trowa?'

'We need you to guide Gundam Omega to the cave we're gonna hide it in. We think that the mech actually intentionally captured the girl.'

'On my way.' The line went dead.

'I'll be on the radio,' said Quatre as Heero left for the hangar, 'I'll tell you if they come up with anything.'

Heero left the room. He didn't answer, because it wasn't a question.

Quatre swung back towards the computer.

'Do you still want to know who I am?' Quatre turned again and saw Kaia, sitting on the windowsill, kicking her ankles gently against the wall. Quatre nodded. 

'My name is Kaia McInrae, and I'm an orphan. I've spent my entire life looking for this.' She handed him a drawing. It showed a mobile suit about the size of Espion, but unmistakably modelled on something feline, probably a panther. Quatre turned the picture over. On the back was printed, 'This will keep you busy. If you have time, I'd find your brother.' Quatre looked up into the girl's dark blue eyes.

'Who gave you this?'

'An old man I passed in the street one day, just after I was chucked outta the orphanage.'

'That doesn't make much sense.'

'Gomen,' Kaia hung her head.

'Did you find him?'

'No.'

*

'Do you think this thing flies? Oh well, time to find out.' Relena reached out towards some controls she hadn't touched yet. Hilde waited, and then watched as the machine got to its four feet slowly. Relena carefully kept the tail held high, so as not to damage the trees any more than she already had. The three onlookers watched as Relena experimentally tested the spring in the legs.

'Sproingy,' she reported. Hilde laughed. Suddenly Relena had a worrying thought.

'I don't really wanna fly… can't I walk…'

'If you walk, you'll leave an unmistakable trail for others to follow,' said Trowa. Relena sighed.

'Okay, then jump, that's all there is to it…'

'What?'

'Sorry, I always mutter to myself when I'm nervous…'

Suddenly, so quickly that none of the other three expected anything, the girl trapped inside the huge mech coiled the springs in the mech's legs and sprang into the air. The G force nearly knocked her out, but she managed to remember: -

__

If you don't open the wings you'll be a stain on the forest floor, no da. 

Relena yanked the huge wings open, and the force was instantly decreased, and she could feel her feet again. She dared to look out of the viewscreen.

To her astonishment, the huge wings had stopped the fall entirely, and she was now hovering about thirty metres above the treetops. 

Suddenly something clicked. If she wanted to do this right, she had to make it move like it should. She gradually increased the angles of the wings until air began to spill out from under them, and the mech began to glide downwards. At the last second before she hit the ground, she raked the legs forward using the finger control, and came to a halt exactly where she had been before. 

'Okay, I think I can do it now,' she said.

****

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Felflowne – Two chapters in one day, I'm shattered. Sorry there's been so much about HER in these last few chapters, but soon the focus will shift elsewhere.

Relena – What do you mean HER? You're rude!

Felflowne – Hey, shut up, I gave you an okay character in this fic! You should see what someone like DeathSi would do to you!

Relena - *sulkily* Okay…

So anyway! Chapter 10 already! *Strokes her chibi-neko-cat muse* aren't you a good muse! See you soon!! 


	11. The True Purpose

The Original Age Part 11 - The True Purpose

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 11 – The True Purpose

By Espion

Felflowne: What! What did I do?! I don't smegging well understand! What's funny? *cries* Well, thanks for the reviews anyhoo *grins* My friends are now all laughing at me. I don't know what I did to piss off DarkVengeance, but I'm real sorry, ne? *kawaii smile* Arigato! Read on! You get a really long chapter this time, to make up for whatever I did *snifs* Thanks to all reviewers, all of you! *hugs Alethea and DarkVengeance* Sorry this has taken so long, but I'm really having to pick at this to get it right. If there are any questions that you think I've left unanswered, just email me on [espionthehamster@hotmail.com][1], ne?

Duo looked up at the huge machine towering over them.

'That was pretty good, for someone who's never been trained,' he said. Relena didn't answer.

*

Heero carefully climbed into Wing Zero. He was jumpy, because it would be the first real time he'd flown in daylight. He didn't know how much faith he could put in the invisible shield barrier the developers had set up around the valley.

The hangar doors opened and he blew out of the hangar, towards the general direction of Doloria.

*

Relena sank back into the seat and shut her eyes. There was… something she just couldn't put her finger on, and it was bugging her.

She pushed it to the back of her mind as she saw Zero come into vision. She put her hands back into the controls. 

_They're mad. They're all mad. You too, Relena honey. Shut up._

'Ready?' asked Heero. He didn't intend to land.

Relena reached up and pulled down what she hoped was the radio.

'Err…yes, I suppose.' Heero flew past. Relena blinked, and panicked as she tried to remember how she taken off last time. She decided to try a different way. Duo and Hilde gulped as the huge head swung to face them.

'Get clear, people,' said Relena. It was strange that although the words were different, the tone was the same as every other occasion anyone had spoken to her.

Relena explored the wing controls with her fingers. Two seconds later, the wing tips glowed white and the long mobile suit powered off of the ground, in pursuit of Zero.

*

Emma sighed as she looked at the long list of terminated missions on the inside of Eron's view screen. Although she understood that she couldn't have done anything to prevent what had happened, she would've given anything to see her adoptive brother and Hayley again.

She turned Eron away from the scene before it and began to walk slowly towards the sea, putting up her invisibility shield. She wondered what had happened in the world in the last four years. Probably not much.

*

Relena was shoved back into the seat. It was like being kicked in the stomach. She wondered how they did this every day. She hoped it wasn't far.

Heero was in a state of silent {…what a surprise… Heehee} shock. How had the headmistress of a respectable girl's school ended up inside a killing machine? He turned on the radio and began to speak to Quatre.

'Quatre, how did this happen?'

Relena jumped. She could hear Heero's voice, but she didn't know how. It was probably best to keep silent.

'Accident we think. It bears an uncannily similarity to how we met Hayley.'

Relena looked desperately around for the 'Off' switch. She didn't want to know things that could get her into trouble later on. She didn't want to hear this. It was nowhere to be found.

'She's lagging behind,' said Heero. It was true. The air resistance against the huge wings was slowing her down. She had dropped from being around 50m behind Wing Zero to over 350m.

'Dammit,' muttered Relena, and sought for a solution to the problem. She didn't realise her error immediately, and then suddenly realised two things consecutively. First was that she could increase Doloria's speed by pulling the wings back as if it were diving, and second was that she'd just given away that she could hear Heero and Quatre, and they'd heard her.

__

K'so. Stay quiet, and maybe…just get on with the catching up, baka.

{AN I'm not going to go through all the cockpit stuff anymore, just on how it looks from outside, k?'}

Hilde watched as Doloria's huge wings drew back and the huge mech began to blur as it picked up speed. 

_Shit, I'm gonna die! Where are the _goddamn_ brakes? _She was catching up fast, and needed to slow down. 

_Duh, do it in reverse._

'Oh yeah,' muttered Relena quietly, and opened the wings again, slowing Doloria down.

*

'Hey, the hatch opened!' cried Relena, 'ack,' she added as wind whistled in, blowing her hair around.

'It opened?' came Quatre's voice from somewhere.

'Stop the machine. Get out and let Hayley or one of us land it.' Heero's voice would have held the same inflection had he told her to go to the shops and buy a bottle of vinegar.

{A.N. It's just I was hungry when I wrote this, ne?}

'Huh, oh yeah.' _Stop the goddamned machine? Get out? In mid-air? Jump?_ No mention had been made of landing. She rotated the wings and killed the main engines. _Fucking long way down. _No, wait, there was a small lake over there… 

'How're you gonna get in?' She played for time.

'Lower a strap to the ground.'

Of course, the strap! She could get out safely. She hit the strap panel with her fist and 50m of cord fell into her lap. She threw it out of the hatch. A tug told her the Hayley had the other end. She leant out of the hatch and gulped. The wind had blown the strap over to Hayley, but Doloria was directly over the lake. The strap was at an angle. Relena sought around in the cockpit to find something to slide down on. She pulled the ribbon out of her hair and doubled it up, then tripled it. That would have to do. She locked the controls. Hayley would know how to unlock them. After all, she was a Gundam pilot. Come to think of it, how'd _she_ known how to lock them? She decided to worry about that later, and swung out of the hatch.

'Heero, that was a stupid idea, you're gonna get her killed,' said Quatre. Heero didn't answer.

When she was halfway down, the ribbon frayed through.

*

'You're alone, correction, you have Eron, but you're still alone, so deal with it.' Emma muttered to herself as she made her way unseen down towards the beach of the nearest town. All of the primary issue Gundams were good with water, it was good practice for outer space, the doctor had said, and it made them easier to handle too. She'd found this out, because she'd had time to practice.

After the accident, she'd had around a month with Eron before she had been ambushed by mobile dolls, at that time unknown to her, and had then been found by Tsudiko at Colony A Port. She'd found Eron in a cave near the main hangar, and had used it to drive back mobile suits trying to explore the base. She hadn't wanted them to find her friends, whether they were alive or not. She'd never considered the possibility that they might have survived.

It was going to be a while before she was her old self again.

*

_Don't scream, don't scream, _Relena told herself as she fell,_ You're gonna hit the water, you'll be fine. Who the hell are you? I wouldn't say things like that! Besides, you might as well hit the ground than hit the water like that. You'll break your neck. Ah, oh yes._

Relena twisted around and hit the water feet first. It wasn't very deep, but it was deep enough. She didn't even want to know what kind of animals lived in this lake. 

__

Concentrate on getting to the surface, baka. Stop calling me that! I'm you, baka! Shut it.

Relena broke the surface and shook her head to get her wet hair out of her eyes. Hayley and Hilde were looking at her in horror. She found she could touch the bottom after a little paddling, and began to wade towards her friends, periodically picking lakeweed, or whatever weed you get in lakes, off of herself. Hilde grabbed her arm.

'Oh my God! Are you okay?'

'I think so, I hit the water, didn't I?' Hilde began to help her pull water snails off her jeans. Hayley began to climb the rope.

'I was so scared you were gonna die,' said Hilde quietly. Relena rolled her eyes.

'I'd let me worry about that.' Hilde grinned.

*

'It was a good thing that Doloria was over a lake,' said Quatre quietly. 

'Relena did it on purpose.' This was bothering Heero.

'She knew she was gonna fall?'

'No, just as a safeguard.'

'That was smart.'

'Hn.'

*

Relena wrung out her hair and watched Hayley climb. She was a good climber, but she was tiring. Relena looked away. 

'It would be a lot easier for her if there was a kind of winch.'

'There is in some kinds of mobile suit,' said Hilde, her eyes on the little figure that was Hayley, 'but you can only access it from the cockpit.'

'Bad luck I guess,' said Relena, 'so why didn't they let me pull her up, then winch me down…hang on, I coulda winched DOWN?'

'Maybe this suit doesn't have a winch…' then Hilde stopped. Hayley had stopped climbing, but she was still going up.

'Look, now the winch is working!' 

'Lucky, I bet her arms are tired.'

It was true, Hayley was exhausted, and it came as a relief when the winch began to pull her upwards. How'd that happened then? There was no one inside the suit anymore. 

'Lets go back home,' said Hilde, 'I'd forget about the Doc. It'll probably be gone when you get back anyway, they don't waste time. Leave D with them.'

'Okay,' said Relena, but she kept a lingering eye contact with Doloria for a few seconds after Hilde had begun to walk away.

In those few seconds, Hayley climbed into the unfamiliar machine and tried to gain control, but failed.

*

Anyone standing by the shore near the Eoar cliffs at that moment would have wondered why every single gull in the area suddenly took off at once, screaming hoarsely. They'd also have wondered, if they'd stayed, just why a large hole opened in the sea for a few seconds. The most likely thing they'd've done then would have been to run away screaming.

Luckily, there was no one around. Emma disengaged the invisibility cloak for a few seconds and jumped out of Eron. She'd stay here tonight, in the caves. She could use some of the spare parts stored in the cavity behind Eron's left front foot to catch some food, spear some fish. Fire wasn't a problem; she had plenty of that. She looked up at Eron's beam sabre cavity and grinned.

For the moment, though, she wasn't hungry, and decided to plan where exactly she was heading. If she left Eron cloaked underwater, no one would detect it, with radar or visually, and she could search for the nearest built up area and find out what state the world was in.

And then what? Revenge? No. Retribution? Perhaps. Kick serious butt? Oh yes.

*

'The controls are locked, I can't get control!' came Hayley's voice to Quatre, Kaia and Heero. Heero watched in horror as Doloria began to fall from the sky.

'Hilde!' cried Relena, 'Look!' 

'Oh…shit,' said Hilde.

_She needs to open the wings,_ thought Relena, who, of course, had no idea that Hayley had no control whatsoever,_ that'll stop the fall._

'I don't think she's in control,' said Hilde, with an awful quietness to her voice.

_Open the wings, open the wings,_ thought Relena,_ come on Hayley, come on…_  
  
The wings opened. Doloria shot forward horizontally, its belly skimming the tops of the trees below.

'Yes!' cried Relena. Hilde was shaking.

'That was too close,' she muttered, 'what happened?'

'I don't know, but it doesn't matter, ne? You said so yourself. Lets go.' Relena tugged at Hilde's sleeve gently. Hilde spun to face her.

'What's happened to you? Why are you acting like this?' Relena was taken aback.

'Like what?'

'So calm, when I'm freaked out!' Relena opened her mouth to answer, then realised she had nothing to say. She couldn't answer Hilde's question.

*

'Hayley, speak to us!' said Quatre into the mike. It crackled, and Hayley answered. She sounded terrified, and that surprised one Gundam Pilot.

'It…It wasn't me; it did it on its own.' 

'Like your suit escaping?' Hayley suddenly seemed to gain confidence.

'Yeah, like that.'

'Are you in control now?' There was a pause. Doloria was currently gliding around over the mountains in lazy circles.

'No…'

*

Relena kept her eyes focused on the small shape in the sky.

_That's good, just keep doing that for a while, and then you can land straight…_

'Are… Are we going?' Hilde said hesitantly.

'In a sec, I just want to make sure she lands it okay.'

'Even if she doesn't, what can you do?'

'I don't know, but lets just stay 'till then, ne?'

'Make up your mind,' muttered Hilde.

'Gomen, Hilde,' said Relena, smiling and returning her eyes to Doloria.

*

'Quatre, have Relena and Hilde left yet?' asked Heero, his eyes also on Doloria.

'Err… no. They're still standing near the edge of the forest. Hang on, Trowa's going over to get rid of them.'

'Good.'

*

Hilde watched as the Dragon's legs drew together and its wings drew back to land. It was about ten metres off the ground. Relena looked on in amazement as the ground opened to form a long hole in the ground, the entrance to the base. They'd obviously abandoned the idea of hiding it in the cave and had decided to land it into the base. The machine descended slowly and carefully. 

_It was really lucky that Hayley managed to regain control. I wonder what I did to make her lose it in the first place,_ thought Relena miserably, unaware that Hayley still didn't have control.

At that second Trowa emerged from the trees behind her and grabbed her arm, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She broke her eye contact with Doloria and spun to face him, but before he could say anything, there was an earth shattering crash. All three of them turned to where Doloria had been carefully landing, to find it a twisted sprawled mess of legs laying widthways across the entrance. The engines had died and it had simply dropped like a stone.

*

'Hayley!' cried Quatre.

Hayley couldn't understand what had happened at all. She hadn't had control, but the machine seemed to be piloting itself perfectly, and then, for no reason, it had just fallen out of the sky. It was lucky that she'd been quite close to the ground. She didn't seem to be hurt.

'I'm okay, but I'm getting out NOW,' she said.

'What happened?'

'Everything died at once, instantly, and I have no idea why.'

Quatre looked over to where Trowa still had Relena by the arm.

'I do,' he said.

*

'Okay, I get the picture, we're outta here.' Trowa released Relena's arm.

There was a rustle as a large grey nose appeared out of the nearby foliage, swiftly followed by a long head of the same colour, whose owner looked at them all through solemn brown eyes. Moments later another head joined it, only this time it was brown and white in stark patches.

'Thank god, they're alright,' said Hilde, reaching out and stroking Ohki's soft pink nose. The two horses, looking a bit battered, walked into the clearing and Hilde and Relena mounted them. They said Goodbye, turned and were swiftly lost from sight among the dense trees. Trowa shook his head and began back towards the disaster site.

*

'Look at those,' said Hayley, once they had got Doloria inside the base, with help from Heero, 'on its wings.' Heero and Trowa looked. All along the spokes of the wings, little round discs were clustered tightly together.

'What're they?' she asked, feeling more stupid by the second. Quatre reached up and detached one. He turned it over in his hands.

'It looks like a shield barrier generator,' he said, 'but usually you only get around half a dozen on any suit. There must be at least three hundred here. It doesn't make any sense.'

'Quatre, you said that you had an idea why everything went dead, what was it? Why did it happen?' Quatre reattached the SBG and looked at Hayley, who had spoken.

'You know how you can control Espion telekinetically?' She nodded. _Cool, there's a word for it._

'I think that D's pilot can do that too, with one important difference.' He paused, then continued, 'and that's that she doesn't realise she's doing it.' Hayley blinked.

'Uh oh.' Hayley muttered. She held out her hand to Quatre. 

'May I see one of those?' He moved to hand her a SBG, but then looked at her fingers. He looked up with a confused look on his face.

'Your fingers…'

'What?' She pulled her hand away and looked at it. _Of course._

'You have no fingerprints.' Said Quatre. She nodded.

'They were removed,' she said quietly.

'Did it hurt?' asked Quatre. She looked away.

'What're you gonna do about this?' she asked. She didn't wanted to tell them how loudly she'd screamed when they did it. Quatre looked away. He didn't need to repeat the question, she'd just told him the answer a different way.

'From what the developers told us, Doloria was a suit designed to protect, not attack,' said Duo, twirling his braid idly between his fingers.

'Yes! That would explain the large number of SBGs,' said Quatre thoughtfully, 'if they were going to be used to protect an area.'

'There're enough on there to protect an entire colony,' said Heero.

'Let's sleep on this,' said Duo, 'and we can talk again tomorrow. I for one feel shagged out.' 

'Pathetic onna,' sneered Wufei, and then yelped as Hayley clipped him round the ear. 

*

Hilde and Relena arrived back at the school as night was falling. They untacked their horses and entered the main building. When they reached the main staircase they said goodnight to one another, and separated. Hilde went straight on, and Relena went up the stairs.

As she pulled the covers over herself and extinguished the light, Relena simply pushed the day's events out of her mind. She had to do that, or she'd never get to sleep.

*

Relena was woken at about midnight by… nothing. She lay in bed with her eyes open, wondering what had woken her up. Whatever it was, she was awake now, and she wouldn't fall asleep again for ages. She sighed and got up, pulled on a sweater and a pair of jogging bottoms and pulling her hair into a loose plait, moved to the large window.

'Holy shit,' she said, as she leant out into the night.

*

Emma, inside her cloaked mech, spotted what looked like a small town near the coast. Towns had people in. People who could kill other people. She had to destroy it.

*

She couldn't believe her eyes. There, with its neck craning up towards her window, was the Dragon.

'Shoo,' she muttered. It didn't move.

_How did it get here?_

She moaned as Doloria took more steps forward until its head was level with her window. Then it clicked.

_Oh no. No you don't. I'm not going to. Go away. Now._

It remained stubbornly there. 

'Go away, leave me alone,' whispered Relena. It didn't move. Against her better judgement, she reached forward and touched its snout with her fingers.

*

Emma paused as she realised that she was going to have to let down her cloak to attack. She did so, and then Relena spotted her.

*

'Ohhh,' she gasped as she saw the huge horse-mech appear out of nowhere around half a kilometre from the school. It was going to attack them! They couldn't defend themselves! Wait… She looked at Doloria again, which was waiting patiently.

'You knew… How did you know? You can't 'know' anything… You're just a machine… And unfortunately the only defence the school has. I don't know how you found me, but I'm glad you did.' Relena dropped onto Doloria's snout and opened the hatch on the side of its head.

**don't have to fight if don't want **

'Show me,' said Relena, pulling down the control arms.

**SBGs deploy them round school**

'And those'll protect it?' Doloria's answers seemed to bypass her ears and go straight to her brain, but her fears for the school and its thousand inhabitants' lives were greater than her curiosity.

__

I should leave this to people who know what they're doing, but there's no time…

**fifty will**

'I'm scared, D. I'm no Gundam pilot. I'm no one. I can't help,' she slumped.

**doloria gundam so relena gundam pilot**

'It's not that simple, D.'

**is**

'I trust you, Doloria,' muttered Relena. She marvelled at the way she seemed to know where everything was in the cockpit, even though she'd only been in it once, twice before. She realised she had seconds before the hostile mech was within attacking range.

*

Duo couldn't sleep, even though it was he who had suggested that they slept. He pulled on his clothes and decided to take a walk around the hangar, maybe chat to Deathscythe, who never answered, but it made him feel better, anyway.

He walked on past the numbered Gundams and reached where Espion and Doloria were being stored, the PI Gundams, as Hayley had called them, Primary Issue. He paused by Espion, braid swinging, and took in its craftsmanship. 

'Not too shabby,' he muttered to himself, 'It's no D Hell, but pretty cool anyways.' He walked on to where Doloria had been placed on its side just hours earlier by Wing Zero, and stopped.

'Oh shit! What next? Everyone! Wake up! Gundam Omega's gone! Goddamnit! Wake up!'

* 

'What if he breaks through the shield D?' asked Relena, and then gave a little scream and the mech lowered its huge head and charged.

**don't let it**

*

'Look! There it is…' began Duo from inside Deathscythe, but then his voice trailed off as he saw the huge other mech galloping towards the school, its head down.

'Hey, that looks just like…' he tried to explain what it looked like to Trowa, who had come with him, but the night sky was split with strange light as Doloria reared up, throwing back its wings and shooting SBGs into the air around the school. Crackling energy fields joined them to one another to from a sort of igloo over the school. 

'Quatre was right! Look!'

'We can see, Duo,' said Trowa. He was relaying video images back to the base.

Relena was panting slightly as Doloria's front legs hit the ground again. The school was safe, until the enemy machine broke through the shield.

'D, can you get anything on our attacker?' asked Relena, wondering where this courage was coming from.

**rough same weight height less weapons beam sabre head **

'Less weapons? Can you stop the charge?'

**see**

'Huh?' The unwilling pilot realised that she didn't have any time to think of anything, except…

Emma impacted into the proverbial immovable object. Relena had used the last precious seconds to dig the Gundam's long sabre-like claws into the ground.

Duo gasped as he saw how strong Gundam Omega was. 'Woah,' he muttered.

Emma was stunned. That had almost actually hurt. This pilot must die.

'Doloria's outta control again,' said Trowa, 'we gotta stop it.'

'Open a radio channel to Doloria,' said Hayley over the com. link. 

'But…there's no one in it…' began Duo.

'Open a radio channel to Gundam Omega now!' said Hayley.

_Shit, now he's pissed off, _thought Relena as she watched the mobile suit back away slightly on all four of its feet. Eron, its name was Eron; she spotted it on its left shoulder. 

Suddenly the radio crackled at her.

'Is there anyone in there?' It was Hayley's voice. Relena decided to take a chance.

'Only someone who sure as hell wishes she wasn't,' she muttered, ducking to avoid the beam sabre that Eron thrust at her. She spread D's legs wider and crouched into a defensive stance, her tail swishing through the air over her head.

'What's going on?' asked Duo, from inside his Gundam, 'Why is the damn thing here? Why's Relena here? What the hell is going on?'

'It went to find her.' 

'YOU WHAT?' burst out Duo.

Relena wondered why the Gundam pilot wasn't doing his job, but didn't have any further chances to wonder as Eron sprang forwards again, knocking her roughly back against the shield, which held.

_Why do things like this always happen to me?_

**no answer**

_Ouch that hurt._

She tried to mentally probe the pilot's feelings, to get some perspective on why he was attacking. Suddenly a wave of grief and rage hit her so hard that she gasped. That other pilot shouldn't be fighting, he should be getting counselling. What a ferocious block against her empathic probe!

'Hey, it's getting up! That must have hurt,' Duo commented as D got onto its feet.

Relena opened a radio channel to Eron.

'Stop attacking, why are you doing this?' Emma laughed bitterly.

'I couldn't do this if I wasn't who I am,' she answered cryptically, before diving at Omega again, but this time its pilot was ready, having used the time she had bought quizzing her attacker to formulate plan to stop this madness. 

As she flew towards her target, Emma watched in horror as the Dragon lunged forward and neatly clipped her left shoulder, causing her to spin in air and land heavily on Eron's back. Before she could scramble to her feet, Doloria sat firmly on her and held down the huge legs, rendering Eron immobile. Emma tried to break the other suit's grip, but failed. For a second no one moved. 

Relena glared at the now-still machine. Why? Why had she attacked, and why was she so sad? Relena's empathic abilities were know to her alone, and quite advanced. She drew Doloria's head up quickly as she saw Deathscythe approaching. It crouched as Duo looked at the horse-mech, then Duo's voice said, 'you can get off now.'

'No, I can't. The minute I get off, she's gonna kebab me.'

'And how d'you know that?'

'Oh, never mind. Okay, I'm outta here.' Doloria sprang back so quickly that it made Duo jump, and then he saw why. The second that Omega had released its hold on the captive mech, Espion's twin spun round, and its beam sabre flared into life for the second time that night.

Relena moved D back into a defensive position in front of the school and watched sadly as the powerful Deathscythe swiped viciously at the stricken mech. Suddenly she stiffened as a voice inside her mind whimpered.

//Hayley… Trensa… Help me… Someone…//

Hayley? The pilot knew Hayley? Duo had to stop. She wondered if Quatre had picked up the cry for help, or if he was too far away. She was aware of his empathic abilities.

'Duo stop,' she said quietly, but she knew he wouldn't, and she knew that she had to get a message to Hayley somehow. Was Hayley empathic? No. She'd've felt it before. In a desperate attempt to stop the fight, she tried to contact the other pilot.

__

Stop fighting, don't struggle. I'll try and help. Eron ceased moving instantly.

Inside, Emma was shaking. She had been taking a beating from the other mech, and was dazed and disorientated. Duo watched in satisfaction as the legs locked, and the alien mech fell. 

_Try to stay calm,_ Relena soothed,_ What's your name? _

**Who are you?** The girl's voice inside her mind was afraid.

_My name is Relena, what's yours?_

**You… I… Emma… My name's Emma. Emma Kentley.**

Emma, why are you here? Why did you attack the school?

**It's a school? I thought it was a town… I don't know what I was doing… I just don't know…**

Duo, oblivious to the exchange taking place, moved to gather up Eron, and at the same time, said coldly, 'Don't get in my way.' Relena didn't answer, but moved Doloria between Deathscythe and Eron, and *spoke* to Emma.

_Can you get up, and explain who you are into the radio on frequency… Err… Frequency 106.8?_

**Alright, I'll try.**

'Hey! Get outta the way!' shouted Duo, but Relena took the chance of ignoring him.

'Move, Relena.' It was Trowa's voice. Relena knew that she didn't have long before they both attacked her as a traitor.

_Do it now, Emma._

Emma took a deep breath and coughed.

'Apologies for the misunderstanding,' she said as calmly as she could into the radio, 'this is Emma Kentley, Pilot of Gundam Beta, Eron. My colleagues have been killed. I request help.'

Silence ensued.

*

Relena sat inside Doloria in dumb silence. Emma was a Gundam Pilot? Eron was a Gundam? Another one?

'I take full responsibility for the damage I caused.' Emma's voice brought them all back to the real world, except of course, Duo and the other pilots who had no idea who the girl was, but were just being silent because everyone else was.

'I don't think you caused much damage, except maybe to Relena,' said Duo suspiciously. If Relena could have given him the fingers, she would have done.

Emma turned Eron's head towards the mech standing between her and Deathscythe. 

'Are you hurt?' Relena jumped a little.

'Me? No, I'm fine.' She resolved to say as little as possible in the ensuing minutes.

'Your Gundam is very similar in design to one piloted by a colleague of ours,' said Trowa. Doloria moved so that Eron could walk out a little.

'Really?'

'Yes. Were you part of the original Operation?'

'Yes,' said Emma bitterly.

*

Hayley stared at the viewscreen, upon which played the image of Eron. Emma was alive. Emma was alive! Then it was only Trensa who hadn't made it. She had to let her best friend know that she was alive too, but how was the best way of doing it. 

'Emma? Is that really you? This is Hayley.'

'H-Hayley?'

'Yeah Ems, it's me. What've you been up to?'

Emma snorted. She was beginning to feel like her old self again. 'Baka,' she muttered.

'Guess it's still raining mech…' murmured Duo. Relena understood what he meant. It was mind-boggling.

'Relena,' said Emma's voice, 'thank you for helping me.'

'It's nothing,' said Relena in a small voice.

'Can you two escort Eron back to the base?' said Quatre's voice. Relena gulped. 

Doloria moved alongside Eron and nudged it slightly.

_I'm not a Gundam pilot, _said Relena,_ I'm a pilot by accident, that's why they all hate me. That, coupled with the fact that I'm an annoying, whining, pink wearing sissy._

**_That doesn't matter to me, _**said Emma**_, you've proved yourself to me. I trust you._**

How can you trust someone so quickly?

**I'm empathic, and so are you. We might as well have known each other our whole lives.**

Okay, I hear you. The top-secret no-one-knows-where-it-is-except-the-whole-world-and-his-brother base is…over there.

**Heh heh heh.**

Doloria and Eron began to move east. Deathscythe stood for a second, unmoving. Duo switched the radio to a different frequency.

'Guys… Err… What the fuck is going on?'

*

**_What do you mean, by accident?_**

I was the first to go inside Doloria, so I became its pilot.

****

Seems kinda dumb.

Glad you agree. So, you're another of the PI Gundam pilots?

****

Are you a citizen?

Technically… Yes.

**Tell me about yourself, how did you come to be here?**

Why are you so interested?

****

In a citizen who got roped into this? I'd just like a different perspective on what happened.

Oh, you wanna know about the Gundam Pilots? I don't know much, you'd probably be better off actually asking them.

****

Relena pushed Doloria into a loping run and Eron followed suit.

**_Tell me what you know._**

Relena couldn't find anything suspicious in Emma's psyche, so she began.

_As you know, in AC 175, the leader of the colonies was assassinated, and twenty years later, some colony citizens decided to end the tyranny, so they made those Gundams. They go on missions to hurt OZ in tactical ways. Err… That's all I know._

**Why are you here?**

Relena bristled slightly.

__

I was here first! I run the school over there that you mistook for a town. I can't do anything about the fact that the school is in the middle of nowhere. That's why they came here, you see.

*

'But Relena?' Duo's voice radiated disbelief, 'you can't be serious!'

'Duo, we don't have a choice,' said Quatre, who was rapidly losing patience, 'we need her to explain how Doloria works.'

'We'd be able to figure it out… Besides, how does she know? She's only been in it twice.'

'Three times,' said a voice he didn't recognise. Kaia looked at the older people glaring at her. 

'What? Mistakes irritate me. You might wanna look at that instead of glaring at me,' she added, looking at the radar screen, her dark plait swinging as she looked away again.

*

'Emma, are you picking up anything on your radar?' Relena spoke out loud for the first time in ages.

'Err… Nope, I think it's bust. Why?'

'I think we'd better both… Err… what do you call it?'

'Cloak?'

'That's it.'

'You can do that?'

'D says I can.'

* 

'Hey! Where'd you go?' Duo looked around, but Relena and Emma had vanished.

'We cloaked, idiot,' said Emma.

'Grr…' said Duo half-heartedly as he swung around to face their pursuers.

'How did they find us? We're all gundaniumified.'

'Say what?'

'I just made that word up.'

'It shows, honey,' said Emma.

Relena listened intently to the banter. No one seemed to know how the Leos had found them except D. She wasn't going to say anything either.

_Emma, tell them that the Leos are equipped with a sensor that can detect Andronia flares._

****

Gotcha.

'They sensed the energy from our flare weapons,' said Emma quickly, but didn't continue to give Relena away.

'Goddamn,' said Duo, but he easily destroyed them all, while Emma watched, and Relena waited with Doloria's head down.

_Emma, I'm getting out and going back to the school._

**But how will Omega get back to the base?**

I'll ask… Program it to follow you, if I may.

**But why?**

I'll explain another time. I've just got to recall the… Err… What? Oh yeah, thanks… SBGs.

**Who are you talking to?**

Doloria.

**Oh.**

Relena dropped her cloak and drew Doloria's enormous wings up above its head. The protective cage around the school dissipated into individual points of energy that flew back to their places on the underside of the huge wings. Relena turned Doloria's head to the space where she knew Eron and Emma were.

_I guess I'll see you._

**Take care.**

Relena knew that she wouldn't be seen. She lowered D's head to the ground and climbed out.

_Lift your head back up, and follow Emma to the base, where you came from tonight. _

As Doloria began to comply, Relena turned and began the short walk back to the school, and wondered how she was going to explain this to the students in the morning. She was instantly swallowed up by the dark forest.

Felflowne: Sorry again for the delay, but please review! My muse has passed out from overwork, and she'll only wake up if someone reviews! *fans her muse with a wadge of rejected fics* Also, I need some suggestions as to pairings. Do I need them? Should they be Yaoi? Yuri? Het? Please please pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!! *whimpers* Neeeed reviews… To… Live *dies*

I think I'll stop now. Bye bye. ***^_^***

__ ****

   [1]: mailto:espionthehamster@hotmail.com



	12. Discovery

The Original Age Part 12

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 12 – Discovery

By Espion

__

Thanks for the review, Dark Vengeance, and I've just spotted where I called you a girl…sorry! At least I know why I'm sorry now *hits self* Baka.

Because I haven't said it before, this fic is dedicated to all my friends, without whom I am nobody. I love you all. 

This Chapter is also dedicated to Arthur, a horse I rode in Wales, upon whom (in addition to the character in the real series) the character of Suvius is based. Pure Magick.

Felflowne xx

Hayley walked as calmly as possible down the corridor to the hangar where Eron and Doloria were waiting for them. Kaia walked beside her, her eyes not straying from the ground. Hayley didn't know who this strange little tiger cub was, or why she was even here, but having her around was…comforting, somehow.

'Hey.'

Kaia's voice made Hayley, and Heero, who was walking just behind her, start a little.

'This girl, she's okay.'

'How could you possibly know that?'

'I remember her.'

'What?' 

'I don't really wanna explain. You know her too, right? That's pretty obvious.'

It was interesting how not a single one of her words stood out from another. Had she been anyone else, she'd've sounded dull, but that aspect just wasn't there.

'You're a puzzle Kaia,' said Hayley, as the three of them walked into the hangar. Duo was talking to Trowa, and Quatre was looking up at Eron and Doloria. 

{As always in my fics, Wufei has conveniently vanished off the face of the earth…Heehee.}

Kaia had to admit that the events of the past few days were confusing. She knew she was dangerous, so why hadn't these assassins disposed of her? She was still no closer to finding her brother. She didn't even have a picture of him. She supposed that he would look a bit like her, only older, and male. Damn.

She waited behind as Heero and Hayley began to descend the stairs. Then Hayley stopped.

'Sod this,' she said happily, and vaulted over the handrail. Heero blinked, then blinked again as Kaia moved towards the rail. He quickly grabbed her.

'Oh no you don't. You'll break your neck.'

Kaia scowled, but as she looked over the drop to where Hayley was now walking towards Quatre, she realised that it was higher than she'd even jumped from before. She may well have broken her neck. Heero released his grip on her and began to walk down the stairs again. Kaia thought for a second then ran after him.

*

Emma knew she had every reason to be afraid, but she just couldn't bring herself to be. Hayley was here. Hayley was the most kick-ass girl she'd ever met, everything had to be okay, right? She looked out, and saw a small blonde boy pointing out similarities between Eron and Espion. Periodically, Hayley nodded in agreement. Emma then proceeded to nearly choke as Heero and Kaia walked up to join her old friend and the stranger.

Heero looked up into the large curved viewscreen. Could it be true? Was she really alive? Or would it be another dashed hope on the large pile he'd accumulated since the Termination.

__

//Dare to hope…No…Not this time…Never again…//

**_Don't ever think too loud, you never know who's listening._**

Heero wasn't empathic, so he couldn't answer, only stare up at the mech he'd never seen before in shock. None of the others noticed, because, as we all know, Heero's shocked face was the same as every single other one of his faces.

**_How've you been? Goddamn! I can't believe it! We're all alive! We didn't die! IN YOUR FACE, WORLD!_**

Despite years of intensive conditioning, Heero looked up at the huge mech above them all, and smiled. Not a grin, his mouth didn't even move, but a genuine smile with his eyes. Emma saw it and grinned.

**_Who's the rugrat?_**

Heero looked at Kaia, who was stood next to him, chewing on the end of her plaited dark brown hair and looking disturbingly like a female mixture of him and Duo. He looked back at Eron and gave a hardly perceivable shrug.

**_She's lost, looking for someone. Ask her about it._**

Heero shuddered slightly. She was asking him to instigate conversation; not something he excelled at. He, of course, had no idea about Kaia's search for her brother. But this was Emma, his sister, asking him.

'Who are you looking for?' He asked. Kaia's head shot up in surprise, then her eyes saddened, and she reached into her pocket for the only photograph she had to guide her life. Heero took it. It was definitely a PI Gundam, but he'd never seen it before. It could be…

Heero turned the picture slightly so that Emma could see it.

**_No idea, what does it say on the back?_**

Heero turned the photo over. Emma read what was written, and began to seethe.

**_Keep her busy? KEEP HER FUCKING BUSY?! Cold-hearted swine. She's a lost little girl, for God's sake!_**

Heero looked at Kaia again. Lost? He'd've never thought about using that word to describe her, but that's exactly what she was, lost.

**_I'm getting out._**

Heero nodded slightly to show he'd heard, and then said to the others, who were still chatting-

'They probably wanna get out now. Want to give them some space?' Behind the small group, the Gundam developers entered the hangar.

Quatre and Duo walked backwards quickly as Eron lowered its huge head to the floor, the hatch opened, and a girl about three inches taller than Hayley got out. Her hair was longer than Hayley's, and reached down to about her shoulders. It was chestnut, with that kind of sheen to it that all the shampoo companies flog. Her eyes were brown and all-forgiving. She looked around and gave a small smile. Duo suddenly realised, seeing this new girl, that Hayley really didn't seem to smile all that much.

Heero coughed.

'Emma Kentley?' He asked. Although it was obviously a question, the question inflection was lacking. She turned and looked at him.

'That's correct,' she said. She wanted to hug him so much, but she knew that the time that had passed was just too great.

'What's keeping her?' asked Duo, pointing to Doloria.

'Erm, nothing, she's just…not in there.'

'What?!' Duo stepped forward to try and intimidate Emma, but found his way blocked.

'Heero, what are you doing?' Heero just glared at him, and he squeaked and scuttled away. Emma looked at Heero thankfully, and continued-

'She got out just after I joined you.'

'But why?'

Emma looked at the blonde boy who had spoken. An Empath! She hung her head slightly.

'She wouldn't tell me.'

'Hang on,' said Duo, who had recovered from his earlier shock magnificently, 'my radio was on the same frequency as yours the whole time, there was no conversation between you.'

Emma felt trapped in a corner. Heero was still standing between her and her accuser, but he couldn't protect her from the braided boy's curiosity.

'I…can't tell you, not yet.'

'Well,' said Duo, folding his arms, 'when can you tell us?'

Emma suddenly snapped out of her daze. She wasn't gonna take this from anyone.

**_When I'm fucking ready, okay?_**

Duo stepped back, looking terrified. 

**_Glad that's sorted._**

Hayley broke away from the group and threw her arms around Emma's neck. Quatre looked at Duo, who was gaping like a goldfish.

'Ems, oh thank God you're ok.'

Emma didn't reply at first, and just buried her face in her best friend's shoulder. When she straightened, there was an unusual look in her eyes. Rage.

She looked at the group of men behind Trensa and said slowly-

'You never told us completely what was going on. We trusted you with our lives, goddamnit! What's that, eh? You never told us about that!' She pointed to Doloria.

'I know this isn't like me before you all start spewing slimy crap, and it won't last long, but while I'm good and angry, I am demanding to know exactly where we stand, okay?'

It was the kind of "okay" that you didn't say "no" to. Dr G coughed.

'I think a short talk is in order…' he began, but Emma cut him off.

'However long it takes,' she said dangerously. Hayley nodded.

'I think that would be a good idea.' she said. 

*

_Sod this_, thought Relena angrily, as she stole back into the school_, Sod this dumb war. This isn't me! This isn't who I am! I'll have nothing more to do with this. Sorry Emma, you're a nice, kind girl, but I'm not the person you are._

Starting from tomorrow, she decided, she would simply act as if nothing had happened. She'd go back to being who she was. The headmistress of the school. No one else. No one more. Doloria wasn't her responsibility. What could she do for it that a Gundam pilot couldn't? Exactly, now shut up.

*

Emma had finished being angry now. She was currently sat on the floor with her arm around Kaia, watching detachedly as people she didn't recognise swarmed around her. They'd basically told her what was going on, had gone on, and so on, but she still didn't have the answers she wanted. Why was everyone calling Trensa Heero? That was damn confusing. Wasn't Heero the name of the late Overseer of the Colonies who'd been assassinated? And who was Relena? Where did she come into this? She'd picked up an air of unfriendliness between the two groups, school and warriors, but Hayley seemed to get on all right with her.

Emma overheard Hayley's angry voice from somewhere, yelling at some random person that they couldn't put that there, it would block a gas vent, stupid prats. She smiled a little as she saw that Hayley could still scare the crap out of anyone she wanted to.

Kaia didn't know why she had been drawn to the newest arrival to the base, but she had. She had made the comment to Hayley and Heero about her remembering, but that was a very vague remembrance. She never met her mother, or her father, and this new girl was very comforting to be around. Kaia sighed and forgot all about what was going on around her for a while, content to be a little girl being cuddled.

*

Heero felt a stab of guilt as he looked over towards Emma and Kaia. He should have told Hayley that he was still alive. Emma would assume that he had already. Damn. He stepped out of the way as pieces of machinery, outer space upgrades for the two equine tetra mobile suits, were moved around. Doloria stood immobile in the corner. It didn't need any such upgrades, as space was what it had been designed to navigate. Heero walked over to Emma, while his colleagues were busy, and crouched down briefly. She looked up, but Kaia didn't move. She'd fallen asleep.

'All those lies they told us. Do you think that Felflowne was actually built, and that's what she has a picture of?'

Emma looked at Kaia, who was now snuggled into her.

'Why would she have been given the picture if it hadn't? Yes, Fel's out there, somewhere.' She turned back to Kaia, and continued, 'but why does she have the picture?'

'I don't know,' said Heero.

*

Duo watched everything going on around him. A few months ago, there were five Gundams. Now there were eight, and there was the possibility of a ninth. What the hell was going on? He decided to go through everything he'd been told about Operation Umbra, Operation Shadow.

Hayley, Emma and a boy called Trensa had been trained as Gundam pilots when they had been around twelve. Their mission had been aborted when all of them were presumed to have perished. He understood that. That was easy. He turned to look at Espion.

Espion was like Gundam Wing, the instigator. He guessed that back in its time, there would have been no other mobile suit that could touch it, a bit like the Gundams now. He also understood the changes in design. The developers had realised that to win the war, their creativity had to be squashed.

Eron was different again. It looked more dangerous than Espion, but Duo knew that it was the pilot that made a Gundam dangerous, no matter how many weapons it had. The sharp spikes down its neck and on its legs could probably rip another suit apart.

Lastly he looked at Doloria. Here was a puzzle. No weapons to be seen, so why the huge long body? He decided to check it out.

Since its pilot was not around to prevent him, Duo opened the main hatch by pressing a pad. Then he stared. The suit was almost hollow! There were about fifty seats bolted to the floor, and rings on the wall. This wasn't just a cargo bay; He spotted, nestled into a corner of the huge room, a life support system. So this was how Gundam Omega was supposed to evacuate citizens. He shut the hatch and stepped back. He had to tell someone about this.

*

'Oh yeah, Heero?' Heero turned to see Hayley trotting over to him, her ponytail swinging slightly. She stopped and said, 'I know this probably isn't the best time to ask, but you don't seem to be doing anything right now, so, why are you named after the colony leader?'

'Heero Yuy isn't my real name,' said Heero quietly, 'it's my code name, you know, for security.'

Hayley grinned. 

'Okay, but why bother having a code name when you can blast the shit out of anyone who finds out who you are?'

Heero didn't laugh, and Hayley groaned.

'Uhh…wasted! I'll have to find Duo and tell him that one, ja ne!' She spun around and jogged away, giggling.

Heero turned to look at Emma. She was shaking.

'You didn't tell her? How could you? Trensa! I always feared that they were trying to dehumanise us! I knew this would happen…No!' She moved suddenly and Kaia woke up, and was instantly gone, before anyone else could see her in a moment of weakness. Emma looked after her, tears threatening to fall. A loud noise dragged Heero's attention from her at that moment. 

Eron had suddenly swung viciously at the nearest person, and pinned them to the ground with its nose. The trapped person yelled loudly. It was Duo.

{A.N. I couldn't think of anyone else who would be yelling loudly, tee hee.}

'Emma!' cried Hayley, trying desperately to pull Duo free. He groaned.

'Shit, that hurts,' he whimpered.

Heero pulled Emma to her feet.

'Stop it. Now. This solves nothing.' Emma began sway gently, shut her eyes, and in the same awful calm voice she had used to Tsudiko before she had killed him, said-

'Or what? What will you do to me? Kill me? All right. Death could be better than this. No worries. No fears. Free at last.'

Duo stopped moving.

'Duo!' cried Quatre, trying to help Hayley free him, although his limp state made it much more difficult.

'Move Eron!' yelled Hayley. At first no one knew to whom she was speaking, but then it became apparent as Espion shouldered Eron hard, knocking it over. Hayley darted forward as Eron crashed to the ground and rolled Duo over. She looked up.

'He's still breathing, just…'

Everyone looked towards Emma, just in time to see her pass out, and be caught by Heero. Kaia ran forward and pulled Emma's arm over her shoulder, pushing Heero away.

'Get off her! I don't know what's going on, but it has something to do with you, get away!' she retreated quickly, and no one thought of stopping her.

*

Treize Khushrenada sat behind his desk and stared thoughtfully out of the window of his large house. After a pause, he tapped the desk, and a translucent screen shot up, projected by two mini cameras which doubled up as pen-holders. He leant back into his chair and sighed.

'Is it true?'

'Yes, Lord Treize, there have been many external reports of mobile suit activity in Eoar. I have despatched assassins to kill the ringleaders of the rebel forces.'

'That plan lacks the elegance I expect of someone such as yourself, commander,' said Treize, almost lazily.

'I shall inform you of its progress. Septum out.' The screen darkened. Treize smiled. That was one way of dodging his remark. To just ignore it.

*

'That's great! Try and stay straight now… Well done Sunjammer!* Very good Zoe!' Relena congratulated the horse first, then its rider on a successful water jump. Her pupils didn't mind. One thing they leant in these alternative classes was that if you treat your mount as an equal, they will always exceed expectations. Zoe laughed happily, pleased with their success, and Sunjammer did a tiny kick up of his heels, his golden chestnut coat rippling in the low early evening sun.

Relena was glad that she had an active part in the teaching body of the school. Apart from these, and Hilde's defence classes, they were basically regular pupils, having to attend all Science and Maths classes.

She watched from her viewpoint atop Autumn as the next pupil approached the jump. She was riding Suvius. His ears were pricked, and his eyes were focused straight ahead. Suddenly, and without any warning, he dived to the left of the jump, and his rider toppled off into the water. Relena gasped and leapt off of Autumn, running forwards to help the small girl up. Suvius nudged her with his nose, having returned. The girl was shaken badly, and was on the verge of tears. Relena felt sorry for her, but knew that her accident was her own fault. Suvius would never refuse or run out, but he must have been forced to by a sudden frightened tug on the left rein.

'I hate riding, I never want to ride again!' she cried, as Relena checked for broken bones. None. 

'Hey, listen. Let Suvius look after you. He knows what he's doing. He taught me to ride, let him teach you.' The girl looked up, confused.

'How can a horse teach you to ride?' she asked, reddening slightly as she realised the whole class were staring at her.

'Trust me Hannah, he did. Are you gonna get back on?' The girl shook her head.

'Not now. Not ever,' she said vehemently. Relena sighed.

'Would it make you feel better if I led him?'

'Over a jump?'

'If you like, just so you know that what I'm telling you is true.'

The girl sniffled, still not really having recovered from her hurt pride. Then she nodded. Relena suddenly looked up.

'We'll leave it here for today. Get up early tomorrow, we're going to hack across the valley.'

This drew whoops of joy from the other riders, who turned their horses towards the paddock gate.

'Hannah, I have a better idea. You can't make it tomorrow, can you?' The girl shook her head, and then smiled. She mounted Suvius with some difficulty, and then the pupil and teacher began to walk towards the school gates.

*

'This was always a danger,' said J calmly, as Hayley and Trowa tried to lift Duo, 'that the machine may accidentally pick up extremes of emotion, which is why we try to eradicate them.' 

Emma moaned.

*

As Relena and Hannah walked through the forests towards the valley, Relena became aware of something wrong. Not here, but quite a long way away. It was as though some long ago forgotten beacon was trying to send her information. No. Stop it. Leave me alone.

'Miss Darlian?' Hannah was one of the few people in the school who honoured her request not to call her by her true name, but by the name held by, she believed, her true parents.

'Yes Hannah?'

'I just want you to know that… It wasn't Suvius' fault. I pulled him out.' 

'I knew that Hannah. I've seen Suvius jump four feet from a near standstill before.' 

Hannah gasped.

'How did you manage to stay on?' 

Relena laughed.

'Oh, it wasn't me riding him at the time.'

'Who then?'

'It was a guy who used to go to my old school, St. Gabriel's,' said Relena.

'What was Suvius doing there? How did he get here?' 

Relena sighed.

'After the school was nearly destroyed, the decision was made by the board of Governors to sell all their horses and use the money for repairs. The vast majority of them went to great homes, but then I found out how cruel the board really was.

'They told us that if no one bought the last three horses, they would be shot, so I bought them.'

'Which ones apart from Suvius?' asked Hannah. Relena didn't answer at once, but put both reins into her left hand and craned around to look behind them. What was that? Probably nothing. She turned back to face the front.

'Ohki and Atlantica,' she said, 'but enough about that. D'you wanna try a gallop?'

Hannah looked apprehensive, but then said, 'I trust Suvius.' Neither of them spotted the darkly clad figures staring at them from out of the bushes.

*

'Why did you do that!' cried Hayley, 'what the hell were you thinking!'

Emma didn't answer, and Kaia stepped between the two older girls.

'Leave her alone! That wasn't her fault. They said that stuff like that happens when the empathic pilots get upset. Emma wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally unless she had to, I just know it!' Suddenly Duo coughed loudly and began to try and sit up. He groaned quietly and coughed again. Emma looked over at him with pity in her eyes. She'd done that. Lashed out through another channel. That wasn't right. Duo wasn't who she was angry at. She hung her head.

'I'm so sorry. I'm not safe, you should have killed me.' 

*

The vast open flat expanse seemed to echo as Autumn's and Suvius' hoofbeats tore up the grass. Relena felt better now. They were in a large open space and no one could sneak up on them. Alternatively, they were in the open, and anyone could shoot them. Pants.

'Hannah, collect him up a little. If he does have a fault, it's rushing.'

*

'What the hell's going on?' There're horse riders in the valley! What should we do?'

Septum growled. Stupid fools.

'Drive over them, fool.'

'But Sir-'

His speech was cut off as Septum's Aries spun around and slashed viciously with its beam sabre, separating the Leo's head from its body. It blew up.

'Does anyone else have any conscientious matters they wish to discuss?' Septum asked the large group of all terrain vehicles, foot soldiers and mobile suits.

No one did.

'Good. Onward.' The foot soldiers split up and dissipated into the trees, and the jeeps headed off towards the school. The mobile suits advanced towards where sources had indicated Andronia flare activity.

*

Hannah screamed as she saw the metal monsters.

Relena whirled around. Shit.

'Hannah, Hannah listen to me,' said Relena, 'take Autumn and ride home, alright? I'm going to be right behind you. If anyone tries to stop you, throw this.' Relena handed her a small black ball.

They swapped horses quickly.

'Thanks Hannah, you're very brave. Now go!' Relena slapped Autumn on the flank, and the jumpy Arab leapt forward and away at a gallop.

Relena felt safer on Suvius anyway, in a way Hannah wouldn't understand. 

*

'Hey! What now?' cried Hayley as Doloria's viewscreen glowed blue, and it's SBGs began to orbit it. Five seconds later the shock wave hit them.

*

Relena blinked. They'd fired some kind of weapon, but nothing seemed to have been destroyed. The base was still out of view behind a hill. She never remembered what she did afterwards, only that it happened…

*

'There're about twenty Aries and Leos out there,' said Heero, 'we'll have to get rid of them…'

'Hey Espion won't move!' shouted Hayley.

'Neither will Sandrock!' called Quatre from inside his Gundam.

'The Gundams have been stunned…' said Emma. Suddenly a movement made them all jump. Doloria swung its head around and it crashed into the huge doors. Without seeking permission, Kaia hit the control and opened them. The seven Gundam pilots, Kaia and the developers ran after the Dragon as it began to run.

'Look! There's someone there!' said Duo, pointing, then pulling his arm back toward him and wincing. He wasn't exactly 100% yet.

*

Relena didn't know what to do. She was transfixed. Why hadn't she gone with Hannah? What was she doing? Suddenly she knew.

_You shouldn't be here! It's wrong! You have no right to disturb our peace! _

Suvius began to panic as the machine drew closer, but she quietened him. As she had predicted, they stopped. Probably to gloat. Great. She didn't know why her plan would work, or even how, but she knew it would.

'I'm afraid your only crime is being in the wrong place at the wrong time,' sneered a cruel voice, amplified by the com. system.

She knew that she'd be heard.

'I don't think that I'm the one in the wrong place.'

*

Doloria stopped moving and crouched behind the hill. It was only metres away from the attacking forces.

'What's happening?' said Kaia, 'why didn't D get knocked out as well?' 

'The shield must have protected it,' answered Heero.

'Oh Allah!' moaned Quatre, peering out across the valley, 'there's somebody standing in their way!'

*

'You won't be left to argue for long!' Septum lunged, and his centre of gravity shifted, making him vulnerable for about five seconds. Long enough. Relena dug her heels into Suvius' sides and yanked his head to the left. He reared up and snorted as if to tell her that what she'd just done wasn't correct equestrianism. 

Sod it this time. 

As Suvius twisted to the left and galloped away, Doloria's powerful legs sprung and the huge mech shot over the hill and hit Septum's Aries in its weak spot, its centre. Suvius cleared the area just as the huge Aries crashed down, and squealed as shrapnel whizzed at him.

__

How did I know that would work? Why did I even think of that? What's wrong with me?

****

no answer

*

'What!? Are they trying to get themselves killed?' Kaia muttered as she saw the rider yank their horse around again. This time they headed it straight towards the supposedly renegade Gundam Omega.

'Grr…I feel so helpless!' cried Duo, as the double shock of losing his Gundam and becoming injured began to take its toll. 

*

T_hey'll never expect this,_ thought Relena as she and Suvius ran under Doloria and out the other side. Then she stopped. This was a better viewpoint.

_You're letting it control you, just like you were afraid would happen._

Nobody else is here!

The Gundam pilots could…

They're not HERE!

As if to mark the end of her argument with herself, she told Doloria to get rid of the attackers. He did.

*

'I never realised quite how powerful Omega was,' said H quietly, 'but with all the claws and the strength we gave it, I suppose it shouldn't count as any great surprise.**' 

'Oh God… That's not… That's not Relena is it?' asked Hayley, squinting at the small figures standing behind Omega.

*

_Good D. Can you detect where the other Gundams are?_

**in hangar freeze**

__

What do you mean, freeze?

**no move**

__

Where are the pilots?

**watching**

Relena gulped, despite herself.

_Okay D, wrap it up, then return to the hangar._

**can't run forever**

_I know, but for the meantime I can. See if you can unfreeze the Gundams._

**will**

_Goodbye D, _said Relena as the last Aries was destroyed. She really hadn't liked doing that, but no one else had been there, and it had HAD to be her. Where was everyone? This wasn't her responsibility.

*

'We need to acquire that person,' said J. 

'Why?' muttered Hayley mutinously, 'how many more innocent people d'you wanna drag into this?'

'Listen!' yelled Kaia, 'listen to yourselves! What way is this to sort anything?'

*

_Emma can you hear me?_

**I don't really wanna talk…**

Well, I'm guessing you're pretty interested in what D just did.

**The others are.**

What's wrong?

**What's right?**

I wish I could answer that.

**So what happened?**

I'm not sure, but I think it was my fault.

*

Hayley noticed Emma's brief detached state, and prodded Heero.

'She's speaking to another Empath,' she whispered. Heero looked at Emma. Her eyes were almost closed, and her mouth twitched a little.

'It's coming back, move away,' said one of the developers, as Doloria walked heavily back into the hangar, and then swung its head around towards Eron, which was still lying on its side. The enormous head lowered and the jaws opened.

'Hey! Stop that!' Hayley's shouts were ignored, if they were even heard. Emma watched impassively. Doloria wasn't going to damage her MS, only fix it.

'Emma, what is it doing?' Heero asked, as Doloria suddenly leant down quickly and gave some part of Eron's shoulder a quick yank. Emma concentrated, and was successful in bringing Eron to its feet through telekinesis.

'Fixing…' said Emma vaguely.

After Doloria was satisfied with Eron, it fixed Espion, then paused, and looked and Sandrock, who was next to Espion, before taking a step forward and grasping a tiny lever on its shoulder and pulling it. Without pausing, the Dragon moved around all the other suits, 'fixing them', before retreating to where it had been before, sinking down onto its belly, and shutting itself down.

For a minute no one said anything.

*

Relena and Suvius walked slowly back towards home, through the forest. That nagging feeling hadn't gone, Relena noted, even though she knew Doloria had been successful in un-stunning the other Gundams.

An involuntary shiver ran down her spine. Something wasn't right. Had she been a terrorist, she'd've known to leap into the bushes and hide, but as it was, she shrugged the feeling away, and concentrated on getting home.

*

'All the suits are gone!' whispered one of the concealed hit-men in the bushes around the school.

'I know, and now our mission is to destroy the person responsible,' growled his colleague.

*

Relena didn't even have time to cry out before she was attacked. Six men appeared out of nowhere, and wrestled her from Suvius' back. Before they managed to get a hold on her friend, she kicked him hard, sending him galloping back the way they'd come. Shots rang out in the forest as the men tried to hit the animal, but her ran on, snorting and screaming.

One last shot sent a flock of birds out of the treetops.

*

'That thing is weeeeeird!' said Duo accusingly, glaring at Doloria, but then he lightened up, 'but it did mend Deathscythe.'

'The weapon worked by throwing the handbrake effectively,' said Dr J., 'because Doloria just went round all of your suits and took it off.'

'I hope that person got away okay,' muttered Kaia, but even before she'd finished speaking, a clattering sound hit their ears like a mallet. Heero and Duo spun round, weapons raised to kill the deadly…

Horse.

The poor thing had obviously been chased. Its eyes bore the hollow look of a thing chased, and the bullet scrapes signified near misses by its pursuer, who had been quite plainly armed. 

Quatre and Kaia slowly approached the shaking animal, avoiding walking through the blind spot straight in front of it. Kaia found the brand on its back. SG-Z.

SG?

'This is a personalised brand,' she said, 'which means that SG must stand for something.'

'What's a goddamned horse doing here?' moaned Duo.

'Saint Gabriel's,' said Heero unexpectedly. The others looked at him.

'What?' asked Trowa.

'Saint Gabriel's. I'm sure it's what the brand stands for.'

The animal began to act strangely. It took Kaia's sleeve in it's teeth, and pulled gently towards the door.

'I think its trying to tell me something,' muttered Kaia. Duo made a face.

'Huh? What's that boy? You say that Billie and Sue are trapped on the runaway train and its about to explode? Lead the way!' He laughed. 

Hayley glared at him. 

'It might be the same horse that that person was riding, and it may want to take us to them.'

'I'm going with him,' said Kaia.

'I'll come too,' seconded Heero.

'I'm in,' said Emma.

'We'll stay here. If you find anything, beep me.' Duo waved his pager, and Heero rolled his eyes so only Kaia saw, and gave a tiny giggle, which luckily Heero didn't notice.

*

Relena opened her eyes. She was still in the forest. Good thing number one. She was alone. Good thing number two. Suvius had got away. Good thing number three. She couldn't move. Ah.

She tried to sit up, but it felt as though someone had stabbed her with a six inch kitchen knife, then walked off and left her. She touched her left side gingerly, and her hand came away sticky. Her eyesight seemed to be playing up; she couldn't focus. She could feel herself slipping away, but there was no pain anymore. Good thing number…number…number…ohh…never mind…time to sleep…

*

Kaia, Emma and Heero followed the horse as he walked further into the forest, then they saw where he was leading them. About fifty yards away, a girl was sitting propped up against a tree, but leaning to the left, with her eyes closed. Her arms were crossed so her left hand was on her right hip, and her right hand was between her body and the tree.

Kaia ran forward and touched the girl on her right shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at her, but Kaia could she that she wasn't focusing.

'Hello,' said the girl dreamily, before shutting her eyes again.

'Hello,' said Kaia, 'are you hurt?'

'Hmm…don't know, that's too hard…'

'What is?' asked Kaia, as Emma walked up behind her.

'Questions…I want to sleep…'

This statement set alarm bells ringing in Heero's head. It was never good when someone was like this and wanted to sleep.

**_Relena, is that you? _**asked Emma, and then was shocked at the reply of-

'Stop it…head-talking…too tiring…'

'It is Relena,' muttered Emma to Heero, who didn't say anything.

Emma sat down next to Relena and asked, 'what happened 'Lena? Your horse found us.'

Relena smiled, and opened her eyes again, although her voice was still dreamy and detached.

'Suvius is safe? Good. No…we were…hmm…attacked…'

'By whom?' asked Heero, and Relena looked confused for a second at the new voice, whose owner she couldn't even see.

'They were angry…so angry…'

'Yes, but who?'

'I don't know, but they were…angry about…what D did…'

'D?' asked Heero.

'D…Doloria…it wasn't his fault…it was my fault…'

Emma blinked. She had said something similar just after Doloria had destroyed the MS.

The girl sitting against the tree seemed to be fading, her energy dropping.

'Relena, we aren't going to blame you for anything. Just tell us where you're hurt.' Emma said.

Relena didn't say anything, which frightened Kaia. 

'Relena…listen…give me your hand…' said Emma gently. Relena lifted up her left arm weakly, and Emma took it.

'Now give me your other hand…I'll help you up, and you can go home.' Relena looked at Emma.

'I can't give you my hand.' She stated eventually.

'Why not?' asked Heero, getting a little tired with this.

'Otherwise I'll die.'

*

'What do you mean?' asked Emma, but all Relena did was to sigh, then offer Emma her other hand, before slumping against the tree and blacking out.

*

Emma looked at Relena's right hand in horror. It was covered in blood, al the way up to her wrist, but it wasn't cut. Heero helped Emma to roll the unconscious girl over, and then they saw the wound on her left side, undoubtedly caused by a firearm. The shooter had missed her stomach by a few inches, and had nearly blown her entire left side off. It was a horrific wound. Heero found himself at a loss for words, as did Emma and Kaia. Suvius stepped forward and gently nudged the silent, still woman on the ground. She didn't move. Suvius nudged her again. He gave a low whinny as Kaia stroked his neck, and Emma and Heero carried away his mistress, who was still completely silent and limp.

In the uncomplicated way that animals do, he wondered if he'd ever see his mistress again.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Ooooh! Aren't I evil! Here's the next chapter for you all! Note apology attached for reviewer *^_^*

Okay, first some stars to deal with…

* Sunjammer is a wicked track from Tubular Bells II by Mike Oldfield. *goes mad and dances round the room*

** '…shouldn't count as any great surprise' is a lyric from a Tenchi theme called 'Love will leave you crying.' You would not beeeeelieeeeeeeeve how catchy the english version is! *yay*

Okay, sorry I'm getting slow, but I have a romance fic to work on now as well… :P Ta to all reviwers Me hearties!

Ja ne

Felflowne xx 


	13. Separation and Reunion

The Original Age Part 13 - Separation and Reunion

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 13 – Separation and Reunion

By Espion

__

Song by Natalie Imbruglia

Hannah sat in the medical bay of the school, shaking like a leaf. The nurse could find no injuries, but the girl just wouldn't stop shaking.

'Hannah, Hannah darling…' No response.

*

Hilde pelted down the corridor towards where Hannah was being seen to. Several pupils had reported seeing Relena and Hannah ride into the valley at around five o'clock. Now, two hours later, only Hannah had returned.

*

The beep of Duo's pager broke up the mission briefing. Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were being commissioned to attack terrorist anarchists holding a colony hostage. Unfortunately, they had also acquired mobile suits…

Duo gave an apologetic grin and began to read the message.

'As I was saying, we need to discover from where these people have acquired their arsenal. They have even claimed that they have acquired a…' began a developer, but then Duo cut him of with a yell of 'HOLY SHIT!'

'What…?' began Quatre, but Duo was out of the door and down the corridor before he could finish his question.

*

'What happened? Hannah?' Hilde gently pushed the nurse aside and crouched down in front of the petrified girl.

Hannah looked up into a kind face framed by very dark hair. Honest blue eyes looked into hers, and she felt she owed the deputy headmistress the story.

'W-we were j-just getting onto the valley floor, when we were attacked by monsters…'

This childish remark would have made many other enquirers roll their eyes and tutt, but Hilde just nodded to show she'd heard, and then asked-

'Metal monsters?'

Hannah looked up in surprise.

'Y-Yes! Huge horrible metal monsters!'

The nurse squealed.

'What happened next?'

Hannah swallowed and continued.

Miss Darlian told me to get on Autumn and ride home, then she hit Autumn and he galloped all the way home, I couldn't turn him around.'

The last remark surprised Hilde somewhat.

'You'd've gone back?'

'I might have been frightened, b-but given the choice, I'd have rather been with Miss Darlian.'

Hilde was desperate to know what had happened to Relena, but this was obviously all that Hannah could tell her.

'Can you tell me anything else? Anything at all?' Asked Hilde, feeling disappointed but trying not to show it.

Hannah thought for a moment, then dug her hand into her pocket and withdrew the small black ball that Relena had given to her, and she hadn't needed. She gave it to Hilde without saying a thing. Hilde took it and looked at it reverently.

'Darkness,' she murmured, 'oh dear, oh dear.' She pocketed the ball.

Hilde stood up and motioned for the nurse to return to Hannah's side.

'Thank you for telling me what you knew Hannah. You should get some sleep now.' She put her hand on the door handle.

'Miss Schneider!' The little voice was urgent. Hilde turned.

'Miss Darlian c-coming back…isn't she? S-she's all right…i-isn't she?' The voice was getting toward hysterical now. Hilde thought it best to avoid the question.

'We're doing everything we can to assure that, Hannah.'

Satisfied, Hannah's head sank onto the table, and Hilde caught a glimpse of the nurse helping the sleepy child into a bed before the door clicked shut.

__

I hope this is the last time you ever come into contact with any of those…metal monsters, she thought as she walked down the corridor, only to be met by a very tall man in combats with about six other similarly clad men standing just behind him, rifles trained on her.

*

Emma stopped Heero.

'She needs to go to a hospital, we can't move her around in this condition!'

'If you could speak to her right now,' said Heero in a low voice, 'then I think you'd find that she'd agree with me. If we take her back, she only might die, but if we leave her here, her death is a certainty.' He kept walking. 

Kaia was in shock. She had never seen someone that badly wounded before, and to add onto that, it had been someone she'd known. She hoped against hope that Miss Darlian (for she was another who honoured her request) recovered, but what would her reaction be if and when she woke up in the base? 

She busied herself with patting Suvius' neck. Suvius walked very carefully, as they had decided it best to place the badly wounded girl on his back, as he was much stronger, and able to move faster with the load.

The horse wondered why the weight on his back wasn't moving. Normally his riders moved about more than this one did. It wasn't his mistress. His mistress spoke to him, patted his shoulder and fiddled with his mane while they were riding together. No, this wasn't her.

'She was running away…' muttered Kaia, '…she didn't wanna be in the way…and now this has happened…'

'Things happen,' said Heero shortly, causing Emma to glare at him angrily, but Kaia only nodded. When they were around fifty metres from the base, Duo ran out to meet them with Trowa and Quatre.

*

'What the hell is going on!' yelled Hilde. She didn't have the same restraint as Relena in situations like this. She was more likely to behave more like Duo.

One of the commandos stepped forward.

'Co-operation is recommended, Miss Schneider; the school is now under our control.'

'Shit!'

*

'Who are you?'

It was some time later, and Hilde and her captors were sat in Relena's office.

'We belong to an elite government sector. You will not have heard of us.'

Hilde grunted.

'What do you want…?' she began, but then remembered about her missing friend, 'Do you have another girl in your custody?'

The man laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh. Hilde's stomach contracted.

'Oh, yes. There was another girl in the forest…but let's just say…we probably won't be hearing from her…' he paused, and leaned close to Hilde, close enough for her to be able to smell his vile breath, and continued in a malicious whisper, '…ever…again…'

Then she hit him.

*

Instructor H closed the door quietly, even though it wasn't necessary, as the girl within was oblivious to the outside world right now. He shook his head.

'This can't work for long. We need to get her out of her as soon as possible.'

'She isn't our priority right now,' cut in Wufei, 'our priority is to stop those bandits who've acquired a…' he paused. They'd never discovered, due to Duo's outburst, what the anarchists had acquired.

'…believe it or not, another Gundam.' finished Dr G.

'Any proof to back up their claims?' asked Heero, moving slightly so Kaia could see into Relena's room.

'Only this.' Dr J handed Heero a printout with numbers printed on it in very small script. He scrutinised it briefly, then returned his gaze to the Doctor's.

'These could easily be faked.' 

'I know that, they could be random numbers, but they've laid the snare now, and you must dodge it to disable them.' Kaia blinked.

'What about me?'

'You will remain here with Heero, Duo, Hayley and Emma.'

Duo, who obviously hadn't been paying attention earlier, burst out, 'Whaddya mean!? You can't send only three Gundams!'

'I can and I am. Three Gundam's will be enough, even if their claims turn out to be true.'

'I can't believe you're snubbin' me,' pouted Duo, and collapsed into a nearby chair.

'Good, that's settled. Gundams Sandrock, Heavyarms and Shenlong will depart tomorrow, 0300 hours.'

Duo blinked, then stretched out in his chair.

'Ya know, that almost makes me glad I'm not going, ne Heero?'

Heero didn't reply, but Duo, used to minor details such as that, didn't even look up. He didn't notice the emotionless soldier watching Kaia.

*

'You shouldn't have done that Miss,' said the man guarding the now bloody-lipped, black-eyed Hilde. She glared at him in contempt.

'Why are you here? What do you want?'

'We are hear to try to confirm or disprove reports of mobile suits here Miss…'

'Stop calling me that! If you had any respect at all…'

'We'll soon be gone, and we shan't hurt anyone…'

'…else,' added Hilde bitterly, thinking of her friend, not even knowing if she was dead or alive.

'So, what if you find it?'

'What?'

'What if you find what you're looking for? Shall we still be left alone?'

'That matter is out of my hands.'

'Fantastic,' muttered Hilde, then she had a thought.

'Will you let my address the students? Tell them that this is a training exercise or something, not an occupation…'

'…but it is…'

'…I know that, but it'll stop them from panicking.'

The soldier thought for a moment.

'I'll speak to the deputy squad leader, I mean, the squad leader…'

'The deputy? What happened to the top man?' called Hilde as the man walked quickly out of the room and down the corridor, leaving her bound, alone and vulnerable. She felt ill. What a wreck she was.

__

I'm cold and I am shamed, bound and broken on the floor

Illusion never changed

Into something real

I'm wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn…

*

__

0245 

Duo watched with his hands in his pockets as Trowa, Quatre and Wufei made their final preparations, checking fuel gauges, counting ammo stocks, and so on.

Kaia was standing next to Sandrock. Quatre was around the back, checking for tampering, and didn't see how Kaia put her hand on the metal of Sandrock, and followed it upwards with her eyes, her gaze coming to rest on it's solemn 'face'. 

At that moment, Quatre walked around the front again and spotted her. He smiled. He liked Kaia, she tried to be so brave, but she was still only twelve years old.

He couldn't stop himself from thinking, **_I wonder what her reflexes are like…_**

I wonder who said that? Thought-muttered Emma to herself. She felt lonely without Relena on the other end of the telepathic 'line'.

'Good luck,' muttered Kaia, and backed away.

'Thank you,' said Quatre, and climbed into his mech. He gazed at Kaia's solemn little figure standing far below him before the hatch closed.

**__**

There's a place for you somewhere, Kaia McInrae, I hope you find it soon…

I definitely heard something that time! Only very faint though… Emma looked around herself surreptitiously.

Kaia didn't quite re-join Duo and Emma, but stood in the centre of the hangar, and watched the enormous suits climb laboriously out. It was too dangerous to simply jet into the sky, not with all these strange people around.

Then something went wrong.

Somehow Trowa, the last person anyone would expect to slip, lost his Gundam's grip on the roof, and hung for a moment by one arm from the heavy rafters. Sandrock instantly grabbed Heavyarms' shoulder and dragged it onto the roof, but with one last kick, Heavyarms' hit the nearest rafter a resounding blow, leaving it swinging, seemingly free. Everyone sucked in a breath, but eventually the rafter stilled, and the danger of it falling seemed to have passed, which was good, as it was about five feet by forty foot. A serious rafter. Everyone exhaled simultaneously.

Kaia kept watching the Gundams rise into the night sky with only their thrusters burning dimly against the stars. In what seemed like no time, they were gone from view. Kaia turned to rejoin the other two, and then a terrible noise froze her instantly.

It sounded like…no adjective could describe it. It was a deep, loud sound of twisting metal, which meant - Run!

But it was far too late for Kaia to run. She stayed frozen to the spot, directly in the way, while Duo yelled at her to - 'Move! MOVE YOU IDIOT!'

The falling rafter dragged down a lot a roof material, so as it fell, the descent was blocked from Emma and Duo's view by a dense cloud, made up of dust which had accumulated on the rafter, broken wood and roof material, and was completely impenetrable for eyesight. They heard the terrible crash, and they both cried out.

'Kaia! Oh god…'

'KID! Kaia!'

Their cries bought Heero and Hayley dashing into the hangar. 

'What happened?' asked Hayley, slightly breathlessly, eyeing the dense cloud of dust, which was beginning to dissipate slightly.

'The rafter fell…'

Hayley exhaled audibly.

'Oh, that's Ok I s'pose, we can always get a new one…What?' she asked, seeing the looks on their faces, then her brain clicked.

'Oh God, no one was under there…' she didn't need their answer, she could tell from the looks on their faces.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Felflowne : *yawns* It's been a long time, I know, sorry, but I've been busy, and what with ff.net crashing I gave up on fic for a bit. My cpu and I are at war, or rather the Internet and I are at war…Who will win….stay tuned…

Hey, all ye who read this! Do me a favour and visit [www.geocities.com/kaffei/FanArt][1], Ta, I think that's right, and don't forget to send all Art to meeeeee!

Next chapter soon, soz bout the cliffhangar *^_^* gotta get it outta my system…

Coming up - Will the truth about Kaia come out? What will happen when she accidentally gains control of Zero @.@ Eeeek! Read on…

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/kaffei/FanArt



	14. What's in a name?

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 14 – (To mark a break away from dull chapter names) 

What's in a name? The truth about the McInraes begins to emerge 

By Espion

'Kaia! Kaia can you hear me!' yelled Emma, running forward into the now only thin dust cloud. Hayley followed her.

Incredibly, Kaia's voice came to them.

'I'm…I'm Ok! I'm Ok!'

'How can she be Ok?' Hayley wondered aloud, 'that's no balsa wood plank that fell on her, that's solid steel…' 

Her voice trailed off, as the answer to her question became apparent. Emma stood at her side, and regarded what she was looking at calmly.

'Get this thing off me!' cried Kaia, her earlier calm wearing off, and a note of hysteria gracing her normally cool and sensible voice.

Duo couldn't believe what he was looking at. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and rubbed furiously, then stopped and looked blearily at it again.

In the dead centre of the hangar, exactly where Kaia had been standing, a Gundam was crouched close to the ground, a dent in its shoulder indicating that the rafter had, in fact, hit it and not the floor, or…

'Kaia!'

''Hang on, I can get out…' There was a sound of scrabbling.

'What happened?' Heero asked Duo in a low voice.

'I really dunno,' muttered Duo, 'It was almost as the Gundam 'knew' she was in danger, and rescued her…on its own! Dumb, huh?' His cheery tone belied what he was feeling. He'd been damn scared.

Heero blinked. That was something he'd've thought Espion, Eron or especially Doloria would do, but this was a bipedal Gundam, and the way it had sprung forward made it impossible to tell which one it was from their angle.

Emma ran forward to help Kaia as she wriggled out of a narrow gap between the Gundam's arm and its body.

She looked terrified, and backed away hastily from her gundanium saviour, her face very pale.

'Things like that…shouldn't do that…' she muttered. Damn, and just when she'd thought she was getting on top of all this Empathic stuff…

Hayley, who was still standing by the crouching Gundam, called out, 'Heero, it's your one! It's Wing Zero!'

Heero's face gave away nothing, he tried to convince himself as he walked over, that it had been a 50% chance that it would be his anyway, but he couldn't fool one part of himself, the Trensa McInrae part.

Kaia looked at Wing Zero. Why had it saved her? If that beam had hit her she'd've been dead for sure. Weird, though. Everyone else around looked on Zero as 'the scary one'. Why was that? Because of the Zero system…perhaps, or was it because Heero was the pilot…but he wasn't so scary…she quite liked him.

'Look at this,' she heard Hayley say, 'it's ruptured the connection from the cockpit to the limbs during it's fall.'

'How long will that take to repair, d'you think?' Hayley looked up in surprise.

'Weeks…all those connections to be made.'

'When day comes, it'll be easily visible from the air, directly under that hole…'

'What're we gonna do?'

Am I Empathic? Kaia didn't know. She wasn't telepathic, but neither was Hayley. She knew that. Zero couldn't be her mech, because it was Heero's. Yeah. That's right. So it wouldn't hurt to try and watch nothing happen when you do? Precisely. 

'Am I to blame for this?' Kaia asked Duo quietly, as she began to flex her mind.

'No, no worries kid, you won't be blamed…but why didn't you run?'

'I…I was too scared…' she expected to be patronised, but Duo just nodded and said, 'Figures.'

Kaia was having difficulty. Either this was hopeless, or else Zero was resisting. She rather suspected that the latter was the case. Without realising, she snapped at the machine to stop being so damn stubborn and move its ass. 

Heero and Hayley leapt back as Zero rose a few metres then fell back. Kaia was shaking, and ducked behind Duo, squeaking in terror. Now she was scared, what on earth was she? Some kind of weirdo?

'What just happened?' muttered Hayley, but then something came to her.

'Heero, is Zero an Empathic Gundam?'

'No.'

'Ah, then I reiterate, what just happened?'

Kaia knew that if she could persuade Zero to get up and move back to where it had been before it had saved her life, then it, and all of them, would be saved from the attentions of prying eyes in the sky. The roof had been damaged, and could no longer shut.

It was hard, but she had to tell someone about this. The answer was obvious. 

Emma had moved back towards them, leaving Heero and Hayley by Zero. As she walked near, Kaia grabbed her arm.

'Emma, I need to speak to you, it's urgent…'

'What is it?'

'Can you read my mind?'

Emma looked shocked.

'Not without a person's consent, no.'

'What if I give you my consent?'

'Kaia, what's…?' Emma suddenly got a large shock in the form of Kaia's mind. It was as though someone had hurled her a large ball of string and she had to mentally untangle it; that's what Kaia's mind was like. She carefully put back everything that Kaia didn't want her to look at, and gasped out loud.

'It…was you?' 

Kaia looked distraught. She couldn't have put what she wanted to say into words, and that way had been easier.

'What happening Emma?' Despite her best efforts, a tear rolled down her cheek. Emma put her arms around Kaia. She could feel her wiry, thin shape though her T-shirt.

'Listen to me,' she whispered, eyeing Duo, who was standing out of earshot, 'if you can move Zero, then do it now…'

'It's really heavy…'

'I know it must be, but get it so far and Eron will push it the rest of the way, Ok?'

'I'll try…'

'That's all I can ask for, your best attempt.'

**__**

Hayley, Heero, move away, I've got an idea to move it, she empathised, twisting the truth a little. To Hayley's surprise, Heero complied as readily as she did, and they both walked over to Duo.

**__**

Go on Kaia.

Kaia screwed up her mind like a fist, being careful not to show anything on her face. Zero didn't move.

'It's too hard,' she gasped quietly.

'Keep trying, it gets easier.'

Come on Zero

Get up

I'm trying to help you

****

I don't need help

You heard what they said, all your cockpit wiring's busted

This is the only way

****

No

All right, don't move, but answer me this

Why did you save me?

****

You are linked to me

How?

****

I cannot divulge

I promise I won't try and control you ever again, if you co-operate now 

****

Ok

The weight was instantly lifted, and Kaia found she could open her eyes, which had been screwed shut. She watched detachedly as the huge machine began to try and stand, then it got stuck. Kaia looked at Emma, who had her eyes fixed just to the left of Zero.

As Zero began to fall forward, Kaia tried as hard as she could to stop it, but it was just too heavy. Then out of the darkness of the hangar on Zero's left, Eron stepped forward quickly and pushed Zero upright. This time, it stayed.

The minute Zero's weight was taken off her by Eron, Kaia collapsed onto the cold floor. Emma couldn't see to her immediately, as she had to control Eron, and she had to maintain eye contact.

Heero knelt down beside Kaia and gently picked her up. Hayley walked over.

'I knew there was something about that kid,' muttered Duo, 'we'd better tell…ya know, them.'

Duo and Hayley discussed what to do, but Emma watched Heero and Kaia. Kaia's head was on Heero's shoulder, and she was completely out of it. Emma moved over to Heero.

'What d'you make of it?'

Heero looked at Kaia.

'I don't know.'

'We don't even know her name… Full name I mean,' sighed Emma, gently reaching out and brushing a few strands of loose hair away from Kaia's damp forehead. By pure luck, Duo overheard the last thing she'd said.

'Oh, Quatre found out her name, her full name. Why? Don't you know?' Heero looked up from Kaia and fixed his gaze upon Duo.

'What is it?'

Duo screwed up his face.

'Um…McAllister…I think…not a certainty 'though…' Duo suddenly felt furious at himself. He sensed that this was important, and he couldn't even remember her name. Now that he'd said it, he was sure that McAllister was wrong. It was shorter than that.

Heero merely nodded and began to walk slowly out of the hangar, so as not to disturb Kaia. Emma followed close behind. Hayley looked slightly shell-shocked at what had just happened, and Duo felt glad that he wasn't the only one.

He didn't cease to comb his brain for the name as he began to follow the others, and just as Heero and Emma were turning the corner and starting towards the sleeping quarters, it came to him in the proverbial flash of inspiration.

'Hey guys! I remembered it! I knew it was unusual! Hey! Wait up!' Hayley turned, but Heero and Emma had already turned the corner, and Duo felt too drained to dash after them.

'What is it?'

Duo cocked his head.

'Kinda weird name actually. McInrae. Never met any others… What the hell's wrong?' Hayley's eyes had gone wide for a moment.

Hayley told herself to pack it in. McInrae probably wasn't an uncommon name, but still…she had to tell Emma when none of the others were around…

Hayley seemed to shrug, and told Duo lightly, 'You're right, not too common. But I don't know any other McInraes either.'

Duo looked suspicious, but then yawned involuntarily, setting Hayley off as well.

'Bed for us I think.'

'Agreed.' Hayley rubbed her neck and shrugged her shoulders a few times. It had been a very weird night. She would be glad to sleep.

*

__

You're gonna die you know

I know

Then why are you holding on?

Where there's life, there's hope

You call this life? You're a vegetable

I'm gonna survive this. I've survived twelve assassination attempts

None of them even got close to hurting you. You have nothing to go back to…

I have Doloria, and Hilde, and…

Doloria. A machine. Hilde. Probably dead. Next?

Who are you? Why can't you leave me in peace?

Fool. I'm you

I don't care, and Doloria is more than a machine, he's a friend

Maybe, but as its pilot you are useless

I won't deny that

Someone else could have been Doloria's pilot, someone who could pilot it well, and they could have saved lives. Who knows how many lives have already been lost due to…?

SHUT UP!! 

*

Quatre broke out of the atmosphere first, with Wufei just behind. They had been supplied with the co-ordinates of the anarchists' base. It wasn't hard to find. It was on the dark side of the moon.

They cruised, conserving fuel. The journey to the moon took them an uneventful four days.

'We don't know what to expect guys,' said Quatre, as they approached their target, 'probably a trap. Someone stay back and bring up the rear.'

'Got it,' replied Trowa, and Heavyarms peeled away to the right, hanging back. Quatre smiled. Trowa was the best person for the task. If the worst came to the worst, Heavyarms' incredible firepower could bail anyone out. He knew that, and so did Trowa.

As soon as he and Wufei rounded the moon, they both received the same text-only message.

****

Continue and be destroyed

'That sounds like an invitation to me,' chuckled Wufei, but Quatre didn't see the funny side. As soon as the caught sight of the roughly put together base, random mobile suits began to pour out of it.

'Ok, I'll take that ten and you…' began Wufei, but was cut off by two things. The first was a vocal message.

'So, they've sent Gundams to deal with us. We are honoured. But for you, I feel it is only fair to say that, for you, this will be your last mission, divine pilots.'

'You seem very confident,' bit out Wufei. He hated sarcasm, because only he was allowed to use it. Grr.

The voice, slightly warped by interference, chuckled.

'Oh yes, we are. But soon you will see why. Look, my little pilots.' 

Wufei had already seen it. It had been the second thing that had prompted him to stop talking. An enormous suit had erupted out of the base, its enormous boosters blazing ice blue against the non-colour of space. It was magnificent. It's grey, black and white bodywork seemed to gleam and reflect the glare of the rockets propelling it. 

What was so strange about it was that it was unlike any suit that the two Gundam pilots had ever seen.

Wufei rattled off the names of every suit he knew mentally.

Leo, Aries, Taurus, Pisces, Wing, Zero, Deathscythe, Heavyarms, Sandrock, his own Shenlong, Espion, Eron, Doloria, Cancer, Mercurius, Vayeate, Virgo, Tallgeese, Jupiterius*… None of them came close to the grace of this one suit. 

Quatre clocked its speed and realised that the dimensions and other statistics that had been emailed to Dr J were accurate. This thing was either a Gundam itself, or as fast as one. Faster.

Wufei was transfixed. As the machine began to close on them, he could think of nothing but how incredible their opponent was, but then Quatre's shout shook him out of it.

'Wufei! I'll pull back! Watch out for those claws!' For the machine itself seemed to be modelled on a big cat, such as a leopard or a panther. Complete with claws and a serious arsenal of dated but deadly weapons. It was closing fast.

Wufei dodged to the left as the suit blew past, and just managed to catch sight of its registration. He relayed it to Quatre as the suit turned quickly to take another shot.

'Registration Felflowne-Delta.'

'What? Felflowne D?'

'No! Felflowne, and the word 'Delta'.' Wufei tried to bring his Gundam's Kendo-style stick down onto the attacking mech, but it twisted and grabbed the stick in its teeth, yanking it out of Shenlong's grip. 

Wufei cursed, but then paled slightly as the other mecha swiftly transformed into a bipedal mech. It retained its cat-like characteristics, but could now use the weapon it had stolen against its former owner. 

It did so viciously, swiping hard at Wufei, who only just managed to dodge. Sandrock immediately backed Shenlong up valiantly with its scimitars, which Felflowne knocked aside with one swipe.

'Trowa! We're outnumbered!' It was true. Whilst Sandrock and Shenlong were both engaged in battling Felflowne, they could not do anything about the encroaching ring of old Aries and Leos, significant enough as a threat due to their numbers.

Trowa dealt with the older suits easily, but soon he had to give the order to retreat himself, as staying any longer would have meant heavy damage. The other Gundam was not sparing with his arsenal. He didn't need to be. Missiles erupted from its head, shoulders, and forelegs. The thing that cinched their defeat was when its two side body panels opened outwards, revealing a buster rifle and number of Andronia Flare weapons tucked under each one. Its firepower seemed limitless. The only sensible option was to retreat. Wufei was fuming.

'This is ridiculous! Three Gundams beaten by one…'

'Gundam.' Finished Trowa, 'Which doesn't look like it's gonna let us get away.'

'Fight to the death!' screamed Wufei.

'Live to fight another day,' chorused Trowa and Quatre, and grabbed Shenlong, dragging it back towards Earth with a purpose.

'Cowards!' crowed the voice, 'Well, you won't get away! I'll program the computer to track you and destroy when you stop to refuel! Ha ha hahahaaaa!'

'Did you hear that? It has no pilot, it's automated!' said Quatre, not bothering to keep his voice low as their com. connection was secure.

'Then we all lost to a mere mobile doll!' spat out Wufei bitterly.

'A Gundam doll,' Quatre reminded him.

'To add insult onto injury,' muttered Trowa.

'As soon as we're within range, we'll radio the base in Eoar and warn them. I can't believe that that thing can beat all five of us.' Wufei snapped.

'Seven. All seven of us. Don't forget Espion and Eron,' said Quatre quietly. 

Then he had a thought. Perhaps the quadruped Gundams would have better luck against Felflowne… Then another thought crept into his head. That transforming ability it had matched what he was sure Doloria was capable of… But Doloria was out of their arsenal, with an untrained pilot and no means of programming in another. Besides, it was meant for self-defence. It probably didn't even have any weapons… Damn. He'd had one of his feelings about it too, and that couldn't be good. If he had a feeling about something, it turned out to be true 99% of the time. In fact, he'd never been wrong yet.

**__**

I can't be right this time… It's Relena! Be serious Winner!

*

__

What if they need Doloria? You're useless and pathetic…

Doloria is meant for self defence only…

It's a machine for a COWARD! You're a fool! You've been like this for a week now! How much longer are they gonna run 'round after you?

I don't like you… You can't be me… I would never act like you

I…

What?

Look…I'm the part of you you've always hidden… You've let me show just a little recently 'though…

I need you to help me

What?

We can only get through this together.

You won't regret this

Relena's eyes opened. Her gaze swept the room. It was empty. She gingerly touched her side. It hurt, but it was bearable. She had to get back to the school. She tried to sit up, but a dull pain in her arm stopped her. They'd put her on an IV. Made sense. Without giving the action a second thought, she gripped the IV needle and pulled it out of her arm.

*

Felflowne tracked the retreating Gundams like the cat it was based upon. It stayed out of range of their weapons, but remained as an ominous blip on their radar.

As soon as he was able, Quatre began to transmit signals.

*

Duo lay asleep with his head resting on the communications desk. His mouth was open and he was snoring loudly. He didn't stir as a shadow passed the doorway.

Relena had found her clothes in one of the bins. She had borrowed a T-shirt she'd found in the laundry pile, which didn't seem to be dirty, as hers had been ruined. As she walked silently past the room Duo was dozing in, she noticed a red LED beginning to flash. Duo was completely oblivious to it, and continued to snore. 

Summoning up her courage, Relena pushed Duo gently aside and pressed the LED. Immediately Quatre's voice began to emanate from the headphones that Duo had let drop to the floor. Relena pulled one to her ear.

'Come in Eoar! We have failed in our mission and are being tracked back to the base by an enemy we cannot defeat between the three of us. The allegations were true. Come in Eoar!'

'This is Eoar,' said Relena.

'Emma! Wake the others! We'll be arriving at 0600, and the ETA of the other Gundam is 0700. The registration is Felflowne Delta, and…' The signal was cut off.

Relena checked behind her. No one. It had in fact been a waver in the airwaves that had caused the loss of the signal. She thought for a moment, then retrieved some paper and a pen, and wrote down everything Quatre had said. It was now 0430. 

She pushed the note under Duo's hand, and carefully put the headphones on his head. She retreated out of the room with the microphone in her hand. As soon as she had built up the nerve, she threw the microphone overarm into the room then ran as quickly as her wounded side would allow down the corridor.

*

'Arrgh!' Duo was woken by a terrific screeching which, unbeknownst to him, had been caused by the thrown microphone suddenly coming into close proximity of the enormous speakers. He immediately felt guilty. He should've been awake. His fingers closed on a piece of paper, which he quickly read. He leapt up and began to tap buttons on the console. An image of Trowa appeared on the monitor, and he quickly bought Duo up to date.

Duo roused the base, and soon everyone was crammed into the small room except Heero, who was leaning against the doorframe, and Kaia, who wasn't there.

'What're we gonna do?' muttered Duo.

'If only Doloria were online, we could use its shields. They're different from OZ commission SBGs. They can be set to stop missiles, or entire mobile suits. I have a suspicion they can be programmed to allow certain suits pass through and block others.' Quatre looked thoughtful.

'Well, it isn't, and even if it were, we couldn't use it, so, next suggestion?' Heero sounded odd, and a bit ticked off.

'I know I'd normally be the last the suggest this, but it looks like all out violence could be the most feasible suggestion,' said Emma, looking grim.

**__**

How they hell are they controlling you?

'Emma, I told you that all the allegations were true.'

'Who?'

'I told you. You intercepted the first signal, right?'

'No, Duo woke us all up. He raised the alarm…'

'Cos I found this,' said Duo, handing Emma the note. Emma looked at it.

'Oh…'

*

Relena had hoped to slip away undetected, but this place was a maze. She felt strangely bad at leaving Emma when she might need her, but she had her own place, and so did Emma.

Relena finally found where they had put poor Suvius. He was tied to a railing near the main hangar, which looked oddly like bomb had hit it. Relena wondered what had been happening.

He whinnied loudly when he saw her, and she froze. She didn't want to be discovered. She ran quickly over to him and threw her arms around his neck, telling him in a whisper how he was the best horse in the world, and thank God he was all right. She decided to leave him where he was for now until she discovered the way out.

__

Emma, don't freak. I need a favour.

*

Duo, who was stood next to Emma, yelled as she suddenly cried out. All eyes were instantly on her. She coughed.

'Sinuses,' she sniffed. Duo glared at her.

**__**

Relena, where are you? Are you all right? What's wrong? Emma noticed Heero still watching her.

__

To answer all those questions in order, in the base, yes, I'm lost

****

You need to get away, there's another Gundam coming…

I know

****

How?

Quatre thought I was you. He told me it was coming. I wrote a note and gave it to Duo.

'Ah…' Emma muttered aloud, looking at the note still in her hand. Hayley looked at her. Duo and Quatre were still talking, and now the developers had arrived.

**__**

I can't get to you now, because we all have to fight this thing away

All of you?

****

Yes

Heh, you'd better turn up those invisibility shields around the valley. 

**__**

Good point. Listen, get to the safest place you can find and stay there, Ok?

*

__

0630

Don't act like that. This is the safest place I could think of

****

coincidence

__

Indeed

*

'Put up a one way shield around the base. I don't want Kaia seeing this,' said Emma.

*

Kaia wandered around aimlessly. She had no idea what was going on. She knew, of course, about the enemy Gundam that three of the non-Empathic Gundams had gone to destroy, but she didn't know that at that moment, it was drawing ever closer. She also knew that the Gundams had returned, and assumed that they had been successful.

*

'Here it comes! Ready?' All seven Gundam pilots watched Felflowne as it drew closer. Finally Wufei couldn't take it anymore. He launched himself into the air and fired several shots at Felflowne, which appeared to bounce off. Felflowne swiped him aside and shot past every single Gundam that was uncloaked.

Hayley rammed Felflowne hard, knocking it back a few steps, but she couldn't stop it. As Quatre had predicted, her four-legged shape made it easier to block the powerful Gundam, but it was just too much.

*

Kaia heard the noise, and foolishly ran out of the base. Relena watched her through Doloria's eyes.

__

Oh no…

Kaia looked left and right, but of course couldn't see anything, due to the invisibility shield.

*

Felflowne disabled Espion and Eron by flinging them both against the opposite cliff, after morphing to its bipedal form. 

'Emma! Hayley!'

'Dammit!'

'Everything's off-line!'

Suddenly Felflowne's computer detected another person, unprotected by a mobile suit. The signal must be coming from inside the base. The 'scent' would lead her right there. The visual monitor picked up the small person standing on the ground.

*

'Heero, Duo! Kaia's outside! Didn't you even tell her what was happening…?' Hayley gasped in fear as Felflowne stepped through the shield as if it were nothing.

*

Kaia screamed as the huge machine just… appeared. It raised one of its paws to swipe her aside. If that hit her, the impact of the metal alone would kill her. She dropped to the ground and curled into a small ball. Felflowne began to bring down its huge metal claw, when it found itself sprawling suddenly on its back.

'It's Doloria!' Quatre cried.

It was. As soon as Relena had seen Felflowne appear, she'd activated the mech, and sprang out of the hangar doors by pushing off of the far wall.

Felflowne was up instantly, but it was immediately obvious that this was not going to be so easy for it. The two machines were too similar.

Kaia found herself being pushed by an enormous metal nose into the hangar. She instantly sprang to her feet and ran.

Felflowne swiped in a feline way at her new opponent, but Doloria grabbed the paw in its teeth and yanked down hard, causing Delta to smash into the ground.

__

Think we've got his attention now?

****

no doubt about it

__

Ok, let's haul

****

with you

__

Of course you are, you dumbass

Doloria spun around and began to streak across the valley floor, with Delta right behind it. Suddenly Felflowne put on an extra burst of speed and pounced onto Doloria's back.

*

'What's happening?'

'I don't know and I don't care, all I know is that Doloria is doin' better against that thing than any of us, so let it get on with it,' Duo called back to Wufei.

'It's in trouble now.'

*

Relena tried to twisted D's head behind to see Felflowne, but it was on her back.

Suddenly she had a brainwave. She gripped the control arms and pulled them towards her quickly. 

The huge wings that had been stored flat against the Dragon's back erupted outwards, sending Felflowne to the ground, but it bounced back and transformed into a Gundam with two legs.

__

Hey, if you can do that too D, do it now

Quatre watched as Doloria drew itself up onto its hind legs. Felflowne lunged forwards to knock it over, but it withstood the blow by digging its claws into the ground.

The two mechs were now locked in a struggle to remain upright. They pushed as hard as they could against each other, neither giving up any ground.

'What's wrong with us! Attack while it's preoccupied' cried Emma. Heero had forgotten about her experience, and it surprised him to hear her coming out with something like that.

**__**

Relena, has it gone nuts again?

No

****

Bring him over here

Here you go

At that moment, Doloria suddenly leant forward, and whipped its tail around, knocking Felflowne's legs from under it. It tried to get up, but Relena leapt forward and pinned it to the ground. This time, however, it didn't go exactly to plan. Felflowne kicked out back with its back legs, after swiftly transforming, and Doloria was sent skidding across the ground on its side. With a wild thrash of its legs to try and get upright, the huge mech fell over the enormous cliff.

Relena couldn't think straight. She was falling, and dimensions didn't seem to make sense.

'Doloria went over the cliff!' cried Hayley, grappling with Felflowne. But Felflowne had singled out Doloria as its primary target, and fought free of the two horse mecha and loped over to the cliff edge.

What happened next was 99% luck 1% incredibly good luck. Relena had pulled the controls towards her, but she'd done it too hard, and as well as opening the wings, Doloria had spun around and was now powering up into the sky, staying close to the sheer cliff face. As Felflowne leant forwards to jump, it was grappled around the neck and dragged up by Doloria, going the other way. 

'Heero! Follow them!' 

He complied. Even Heero Yuy didn't dare to defy Emma Kentley when she was in battle mode.

Because Doloria was carrying an extra load, Heero caught up fast. He watched as Doloria somersaulted, sending Felflowne towards the ground. Heero aimed and let fly several well-chosen missiles. He knocked out a jet, which prompted the computer to shut down the other. Felflowne landed on its feet, but it immediately fired its back-up jets, and sprang back into the air.

It didn't get far.

The computer was beginning to lose its control. Doloria's attack had knocked important wiring loose. It hadn't picked up god-knows-how-many tonnes of angry Gundam Alpha charging it.

Hayley was dragged down memory lane by her next move. In her adrenaline rush, she forgot about her space upgrades, but she didn't need them.

As Felflowne leaped, she leapt too, and caught its leg in Espion's jaws. Her momentum knocked both of them to the ground.

It was the first time that most of the Gundam pilots had seen Hayley fighting for real, and it was impressive.

From its near-defeated position, Felflowne's dying controlling computer decided to take one last shot at the mech that had caused its downfall. The regal head twisted towards the dragon high up into the air, and instantly the early morning sky was lit up by twin buster rifle shots from Delta's sides, which travelled quicker than sound towards the damaged Gundam.

Relena was tired, and her side was killing her. One choice left. She let go of the controls.

__

D. Freefall. Now

****

understood

__

Now twist. Dive for Felflowne. Rip out that projecting thing behind its left ear. That's the computer.

The fall was unexpected. The shots missed. Doloria flared, landed on its hind legs and lunged forward, ripping the enemy computer out of its host. Without its controller, Delta fell to the ground, completely dead.

Wing Zero landed behind the Dragon, and looked at the immobile Delta Gundam. Heero swung his own buster rifle around to destroy the treacherous Gundam.

Doloria didn't try to stop him. It stepped aside, giving him a clear shot.

As he levelled the weapon at the Gundam, the eyes flashed green for an instant. Before, they had been dark.

Hayley gaped as Heero turned aside and moved past the fallen battle machine. 

Relena watched him go. Some questions didn't have answers.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Felflowne: Long chapter. I know. Sorry. Been busy downloadin' loadin' loadin'… Also, I can't seem to get into FF.net, so at the moment I am typing this, I have another chapter waiting. Chapter 13. Review please, and ask questions if you are totally confused… *^_^*

Thank you to the person who has this story on their favourites list! *hugs*

Just a note. Whenever I finish a story, I repost it so new people can read it as well. I keep all my reviews on a special file, and look at them and grin *^_^* They don't just get deleted, no fear. They're rare things for me, which is why I get so happy when nice people review!!

If anyone wants to get into contact with me, my email is espionthehamster@gundamwing.net k?

Coming up next - What's happening at the School? Did they see the battle? How will the Gundam pilots decide to use Doloria? Or Felflowne?

* Jupiterius. Okay, this is NOT in the series, but a friend of mine invented it. I decided to include it even though he had the cheek to say it could beat Espion AND Felflowne AT THE SAME TIME! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… 

He will pay for his blasphemy *^___________^* Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes… 

Bwa hahahahahahaha! 

****

*curls up and sleeps*

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz…


	15. Everything in its place

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 15 – Everything in its place

By Espion

'Heero! Follow them!' 

He complied. Even Heero Yuy didn't dare to defy Emma Kentley when she was in battle mode.

Because Doloria was carrying an extra load, Heero caught up fast. He watched as Doloria somersaulted, sending Felflowne towards the ground. Heero aimed and let fly several well-chosen missiles. He knocked out a jet, which prompted the computer to shut down the other. Felflowne landed on its feet, but it immediately fired its back-up jets, and sprang back into the air.

It didn't get far.

The computer was beginning to lose its control. Doloria's attack had knocked important wiring loose. It hadn't picked up god-knows-how-many tonnes of angry Gundam Alpha charging it.

Hayley was dragged down memory lane by her next move. In her adrenaline rush, she forgot about her space upgrades, but she didn't need them.

As Felflowne leaped, she leapt too, and caught its leg in Espion's jaws. Her momentum knocked both of them to the ground.

It was the first time that most of the Gundam pilots had seen Hayley fighting for real, and it was impressive.

From its near-defeated position, Felflowne's dying controlling computer decided to take one last shot at the mech that had caused its downfall. The regal head twisted towards the dragon high up into the air, and instantly the early morning sky was lit up by twin buster rifle shots from Delta's sides, which travelled quicker than sound towards the damaged Gundam.

Relena was tired, and her side was killing her. One choice left. She let go of the controls.

__

D. Freefall. Now

****

understood

__

Now twist. Dive for Felflowne. Rip out that projecting thing behind its left ear. That's the computer.

The fall was unexpected. The shots missed. Doloria flared, landed on its hind legs and lunged forward, ripping the enemy computer out of its host. Without its controller, Delta fell to the ground, completely dead.

Wing Zero landed behind the Dragon, and looked at the immobile Delta Gundam. Heero swung his own buster rifle around to destroy the treacherous Gundam.

Doloria didn't try to stop him. It stepped aside, giving him a clear shot.

As he levelled the weapon at the Gundam, the eyes flashed green for an instant. Before, they had been dark.

Hayley gaped as Heero turned aside and moved past the fallen battle machine. 

Relena watched him go. Some questions didn't have answers.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

************************************************

Hilde didn't like addressing the school. She was the one who sat on the right of Relena and handed her messages and notices. She was the one who took the self-defence classes. She was NOT the headmistress. No way.

She cleared her throat. Silence descended gradually on the 1000-strong audience, all girls. Several registered surprised expressions at seeing her in the headmistress' place, but most didn't seem to bat an eyelid.

'Good Morning everyone,' she began, and was about to continue, when everyone interrupted her.

'Good Morning Miss Schneider.' The voice was enormous, and well rehearsed. It made Hilde lose her thread a little, but she managed to smile weakly, and continue.

'Some of you may be wondering why I am addressing you today and not Miss Darlian…' She swept the throng, looking for Hannah. She wasn't there. Good.

'Miss Darlian left late last night for a conference. She apologises for the short notice given. She was only informed an hour before she had to leave.' Hilde breathed a little. That part was out of the way. Now to try a little humour.

'Also, the more alert among you will have noticed a marked military presence in our school…' The buzz of 500 people whispering to their neighbour broke up the assembly momentarily, but Hilde rallied and carried on valiantly.

'…and this is due to the need for training grounds for young cadets. The soldiers will be using cordoned off areas of the school. Please try and avoid their areas, because we wouldn't want any accidents.'

The marshal, sitting on her left, glared quickly, but none of the pupils seemed to have picked up anything more than humour out of their deputy-headmistress' last remark.

Hilde wrapped up the assembly with a few notices. Relena would have wanted her to carry on as usual. She rejoiced inwardly, as she dismissed the students, that she had been able to inform them of what was going on, and not what the marshal had intended to do, which was to keep them in the dark.

What the marshal couldn't've known about was the code. It was a brilliant idea. 'We wouldn't want any accidents', was a coded message, meaning the school was under enemy occupation. Every pupil knew the codes, and they'd all laughed at that one when they had first learnt it, because who would want to occupy a school? When they received a code, they had been instructed not to react to it in any way that would give it away. They'd done this brilliantly. Hilde allowed herself one notch on the 'us' column of the 'us' against 'them' scoreboard she now carried around in her head.

****** 

Kaia ran forward, ignoring the multitude of voices emanating from the mecha ordering her to stay put. When she had almost reached the silent bulk of the fallen feline MS, a huge mass descended rapidly straight in front of her, the back-draft of which nearly blew her off her feet.

She looked up at the owner of the mechanical limb that was blocking her way. Doloria's fixed gundanium expression gave away nothing.

Kaia's gaze remained locked on Omega, until someone grabbed her arm. She let herself be turned around. It was Hayley.

'Kaia, that thing just tried to kill you! What are you playing at?'

'Why…?' muttered Kaia, then raising her head, she screamed, 'WHY DID YOU STOP ME?'

Doloria was silent and still.

'We don't know that that thing…' began Hayley.

'STOP CALLING HER A THING!' yelled Kaia, turning on Hayley, 'You saw that she was being controlled by the enemy…She'd never hurt us otherwise!'

'She?' Hayley's expression was confused.

Relena watched the scene. She wasn't sure why she had stopped Kaia. The mech belonged to her, after all. She just needed time…Yes, that was it, time.

***

'We haven't got time to burn!' interjected Wufei, when all the Gundams, including the newly subdued Delta, were safe underground, 'the enemy we're up against doesn't need to be sparing with their troops…They'll catch up with their scout any time now.'

'Nahhh…' said Duo easily, 'We'd pick them up on the radar…' 

He looked at it.

'Oh shit! There're hundreds of them!'

'Told you,' muttered Wufei.

'Hundreds?' asked Emma. The most she'd ever taken out had been a couple of dozen. But she'd been alone.

'No sweat,' said Hayley grimly, looking over at Kaia, who was sat in the corner of the room.

'Where's Miss Darlian?' Kaia was asking Emma.

'She's checking out Delta,' said Emma very quietly. Relena had asked her not to mention this to anyone likely to try and stop her. Kaia nodded.

'I'm going to too,' she said firmly, and slipped quickly away.

***

'Hello Kaia,' said Relena as she heard the door close quietly, 'your MS is truly a work of art.'

Kaia trotted over to her and pulled out a dog-eared postcard. She compared the picture to the real thing.

'I know,' she said.

''What's happening up there?'

'There are lots of enemy MS coming,' said Kaia, without a shred of inflection, 'are you going to fight?'

Relena smiled.

'I'm not a fighter, Kaia.'

Kaia pinned her with a glare.

'You're not? Then why are you still here? You're in their way!'

'I didn't say I couldn't defend. Anyhow, although some members of this team are level headed enough to see that every person is an asset, there are those who would rather struggle than accept help…especially from me.'

Kaia looked away. Her voice had been sad.

'I've noticed that they can't tolerate you…why?'

Relena was quiet, then she spoke.

'My family are by nature pacifists, Kaia, but that could never work in the long run. I'm 16 now. At the start of this war, I believed that my family's ideal of total pacifism was the way forward, and tried to impose it on those fighting.'

'That's why they don't like you?'

'Yes, even 'though now I see that total pacifism could never work. Me becoming Doloria's pilot was a terrible shame.'

'But why?' 

Relena looked sadly at the younger girl.

'Just think what good use it could have been put to but for the fact that it only listens to me now… Someone with proper training, better experience could have taken control, helped it achieve its potential.' 

'That's not true.'

Relena looked up in surprise.

'There's no one better to pilot Omega than you, that's why it chose you. It found a match for its objectives in you…'

Kaia, realising that she was beginning to sound like a psychology textbook, halted.

'The fact remains,' continued her companion after a reflective pause, 'that to fight or not will not be my choice. As soon as they remember that I'm here, I'll be ordered away and told not to interfere again on pain of death.'

Kaia thought of Emma and Hayley.

'They'd say that?' 

'Oh yes,' said Relena, suddenly angry at someone she couldn't reach, 'and they'd do it too!'

'What'll happen to me?'

'I expect you'll be sent away too…with me, back to my school, no less.'

'I don't want to go, not now I've found her…' Kaia looked impassive, but Relena could tell she was distraught. At least it was a step up from Heero, who never had any emotions so he didn't need to bother covering them up… God… Why was she so angry all of a sudden?

****

'ETA?' 

'An hour from now.'

'There's too many to risk not evacuating the surrounding area…' said Quatre, glancing at the ominous radar screen. Hayley stood up.

'We need to split up, spread out. After dealing with this lot, we could send Felflowne and Doloria off to the colony base.'

'The what?' spluttered Duo.

'We have a safe port in the colonies?' asked Trowa.

'Yes, they'll be safe there.'

'I don't think Kaia'll like that, 'Ley, she seems to think that Felflowne is hers,' said Emma quietly.

'The thing tried to kill her…why..?' growled Wufei. Hayley shrugged. She left quietly, in pursuit of Relena and Kaia.

'It's true,' interjected Quatre, 'she has a postcard with its picture on it.'

'A card?' Duo suddenly remembered something.

'She told you her surname, right?' 

Quatre nodded. Duo glanced at Emma.

'Kentley wanted to know it a while back, but dipstick here couldn't remember it!' He grinned.

'It was and still is McInrae, Duo,' said Quatre.

***

'You have one hour to evacuate this area Relena. Take Kaia with you.'

'No!' 

'Quiet kid, you have no idea what you're up against,' snapped Hayley, 'leave or we'll kill you. Both of you.'

*************

I'm back! AKA hasn't died!

More soon…if anyone still is following this…Please review...I'd love to hear suggestions and comments!!

Love

Felflowne aka Espion


	16. The Spirit of Battle

Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!

****

**The Original Age Part 16 - The Spirit of Battle

By Espion

Relena couldn't remember when she'd last seen someone so angry. Kaia was at the point of spitting with rage. There was no point interfering. She stood by the main doors with the remnants of Suvius' once fine harness clutched in her hand. She leant her head against his warm neck and shut her eyes.

The 'debate' continued. She'd tuned out the words long ago. _Anger, anger, anger. Our greatest enemy is ourselves._

****

Not bad, you write that?

Without opening her eyes Relena smiled, and replied, _None of us have the time to spare for this._

****

Too true.

I'm going. Don't hurt Kaia, please.

****

I'm sure she could hold her own.

Please?

****

Of course. I won't let anyone hurt her. You have my word.

Relena signified that she'd received the promise by an incremental nod, which only Emma, watching for it, saw. Wincing, she pulled herself onto Suvius' broad back. He snorted with disgust, as if annoyed that he'd had to wait so long. Behind her, the argument, which was mainly between Wufei, Duo, Kaia and Hayley, reached a new crescendo.

**__**

SHUT UP!

They sure did. Wide-eyed, everyone looked at everyone else. Relena stopped Suvius and caught Emma's eye. She smiled.

**__**

Quatre.

The blonde Arabian looked tired, and his hands were clenched. Using telepathy had been his only choice to stop the screaming. 

'Listen to me,' he pleaded, and all eyes were on him, 'we have around 800 troops after us, drawing closer by the second, and we're arguing amongst ourselves?! We've got 5 operational Op. Meteor Gundams, and 3 operational Op. Umbra Gundams. A good hand, yes, but we're going to need EVERY ONE OF THEM.' 

He didn't shout, he just spoke in capital letters.

Duo and Wufei looked at each other. 

**__**

Yes, he's telepathic, and so am I, said Emma, stepping forward, **_it'll come in very useful, so shut up._**

You too huh? said Quatre privately to Emma, and she nodded.

__

Am I still vacating? mumbled Relena to Emma, but she simply shook her head in confusion.

**__**

I really have no idea what is going on. Her face hardened. **_But there's no way they can stop you fighting with me now. We'll be a team._**

Together we're stronger.

****

Yes, we are.

'Let's do this!' Emma yelled, punching the air. A ragged cheer went up as behind her Eron reared, flares blazing in the cold hangar.

*

Relena tapped studiously at her cellphone, entering the number of the school. It rang twice, then a male voice said, 'Hello?'

'Hello, please may I speak to Miss Schneider?' said Relena, leaning back against the wall. The others were all nearby, discussing formation plans.

There was a pause.

'Miss Schneider is away on business, I'm sorry. Goodbye.'

'Wait!' said Relena quickly, her suspicion aroused, 'that's alright. May I speak to the person who is currently in charge of the school?'

Another pause. Faint conferring. Relena could tell that her conversationalist had put his hand over the receiver.

'No calls are to be put through at this time, sorry.'

The other person there then snapped something, and the man with the phone didn't have a chance to cover the receiver quickly enough.

Relena was puzzled, and very worried. It had sounded like, 'Treize is…'

Trieze is… Traze… Trase… TRACE IT!

With a yelp she threw the phone to the floor and stamped on it hard. The little impact seemed enormously loud to everyone there.

'Relena, what're you doing…?' asked Emma faintly, as Relena scrabbled to pry the back off the phone and rip out the SIM card. Anything to stop it working.

'Something's happened…at the school,' she said quietly. She snapped the mangled mobile in two, and continued, 'they wouldn't let me speak to Hilde, and then they tried to trace the call.'

'If the school's been taken over we're in deep guano,' groaned Duo, 'we've got another lot of antagonists sat right next to us, plus we now CAN'T physically send these two back.'

*

Hilde sat in her office. A prisoner in her own room. She had to get a message to Relena somehow, but all phone lines were being monitored. She shoved her hands in her pockets and stood up.

Her fingers closed on the black ball that Hannah had given her. _Of course!_

She sat back down and idly rolled the ball from hand to hand. It was very light, and dark as midnight in colour. It didn't seem to cast a shadow as she rolled it around. She drew a used up Biro from the penholder on her desk and began to write.

*

When she was satisfied with what she had done, she put the ball back in her pocket, hung her jacket on the coat stand in the corner of the room, and called the marshal for permission to leave the room and go to bed.

*

The next morning, the marshal followed Hilde into the room.

'The guy on surveillance said you were fiddling around with something last night. Where is it?'

Hilde contrived to look innocent.

'Look in the coat, sir,' suggested another guy, assumedly the guy who'd been on surveillance.

Hilde unconsciously held her breath as her coat was searched. She didn't even flinch as the two men began to tear it apart. They found nothing.

*

Kaia woke up. She was on the floor with a blanket over her that she and Relena and Emma had shared. Trying to get away without causing too much disarray, she struggled free. Behind her there was a noise.

CLACK…Clack…clack…clacclaclaclaclac…

She turned. A ball had rolled out of the blanket. She tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy, much heavier than it looked. It was about five centimetres across.

*

'Miss Darlian, um, I found this,' said Kaia, a little later, when everyone was up and at them. She pointed. The ball was where it had rolled. She'd been unable to shift it.

*

'And…that!' said Duo joyously, 'Is the last one of _those_ damn connections!' He and Heero had been working together on Wing Zero since the rafter incident.

'What's left your end?' he called down cheerily.

'Not much,' Heero consented to answer, 'I just need plenty of light…' 

And then the whole world went dark.

The strip lights went out.

Darkness seemed to spread up out of the hole in the roof into the open sky.

Within seconds, no one could see their own hand in front of their face.

The busy hum of machines dropped to a whisper. 

There was a crash as Hayley fell over Kaia, amid much cursing.

Relena quickly whispered her clearance. A message from Hilde! What could possibly be happening there?

'Activate,' she murmured.

At once words of blazing white light began to etch themselves on the far wall. The others shielded their eyes, having been in complete darkness for a while.

'They're words!' cried Duo.

'Is it a ghost?' whispered Kaia.

'Don't be so stupid!' snapped Hayley, but in the bright light her face was pale.

The message was this.

__

The school has been occupied, I don't know who they are or what they want, but I heard something about Treize. The marshal is called Tamehito.

If you're reading this then you're alive, thank God. Hannah got back okay, and the students are all fine, but we've got to get them out 'Lena, it's dangerous here, don't try to come back just yet.

Send this back with news.

Hilde.

'Deactivate,' said Relena quietly. Instantly the room was how it had been before darkness had crept over it.

The ball fell from about five metres up, and bounced twice before Kaia caught it. To her amazement, it was as light as a feather.

'What _is _that?' asked Trowa, as Kaia experimentally threw it up and caught it.

Relena looked apprehensive. Kaia was still bouncing the ball.

'It was too heavy to pick up earlier…' began Kaia, but Duo interrupted her.

'C'mon! Everyone who's coming! We're going now. The developers say now's the time!'

***

Mizumi was mad. He'd be the last to admit it, of course, but to him the plot was truly lost. He'd lost his elder brother and mentor a few years before in a reported weapons failure, and it had rocked him to his core. Shoot now, save the questions. He'd been discovered by Lady Une herself wandering the streets of Q139.

Unfortunately, at that very moment, he was sat in the commanding unit of a squadron of Taurus troops.

'Sir, the squadron is now in formation,' crackled the com.

'Very good, but what about the little one?'

'Little one sir?'

'No matter, no matter.'

Mizumi steepled his fingers. No. It hadn't been weapons failure that had killed his brother. It had been an encounter with a Gundam. He'd read the reports and gleaned the truth from the cover-up. And now, he was going to find the one responsible, and kill everything within a mile radius of them.

'I'm coming for you Gundam.'

***

Hayley flexed her fingers habitually as she settled them lightly on Espion's controls. Back to combat again. It was where she'd always be, she supposed. This was new, a different kind of fighting that was unknown to her, but (she stuck out her chin a little) she was a Gundam pilot, one from the Original Age, no less. She could do this!

Beside her, Emma was less certain. Her brush with insanity had unsettled her, but she had always been leader. Here, it seemed that everyone wanted to be leader, but the person most people listened to was Quatre, the Empath. Trensa, or Heero, as she had to keep reminding herself, also occupied a position of power, but his seemed to be involuntary. She turned Eron's head toward Wing Zero.

Heero was at the front. His thoughts were decidedly simpler than those of the other P.I. pilots, but they centred on three main things. One, Kaia had his old surname. He didn't understand where the girl had come from. Could she be his sister? He didn't remember having a sister, or, come to think of it, very much else from before he'd been a pilot. Two, the occupation of the school was a problem. He knew that Duo in particular may not want to leave Hilde in danger, but they needed everyone. Three… Relena. The girl had changed so much in a few months. She'd endured pain and suffering past anything she could have ever imagined, yet was still alive. Her school was under occupation, but she wasn't panicking. It was… here his mind had no suitable word to insert, so suggested… odd.

Duo and Quatre were side by side. Duo was worried about Hilde and the kids at the school, but also about how Relena seemed to be taking it. She didn't even seem angry. He voiced this to Quatre, who replied, 'What can she do? The school, from what Hilde said, is completely swamped. They've got 500 hostages.'

'But we can't just leave them!'

'Why don't you ask Relena what she thinks, and switch to an open channel so we can all find out.'

***

'Miss Relena, are you scared?' asked Kaia's voice.

'Yes,' said Relena, her hands clasped in her lap, and her eyes closed.

'You shouldn't come,' said Kaia quietly, and almost kindly, 'what about Hilde and all the pupils?'

Relena winced.

'I want to go there and help them Kaia, I love them, but Quatre said…'

'Blow it! Follow your heart!'

Relena opened her eyes. There were tears in them.

'What can I do Kai?'

Kaia thought.

'Do you remember the weapon that suit used to deactivate all the Gundams?' she asked.

'Yes,' said Relena.

'Could you configure Doloria's SBGs to deactivate weaponry?'

'Yes, but only if it was laser weaponry. Wouldn't work on shotguns.'

'Wouldn't a modern military force have all the latest weapons…?' Kaia let the question hang.

'I'll check,' said Relena quickly. A window, a window through the darkness! She could help them after all!

Her radio snapped into life.

'What are y'gonna do about the school, Relena?' Duo's voice asked her.

'I have an idea,' she said quietly, retrieving the ball from Hilde from her pocket, 'but I can't do it until tomorrow.'

'What! Anything could happen by then! That's not good enough!'

'I know it isn't ideal,' she replied, etching away at the ball with a piece of wire she'd found, 'but there'll be no casualties at all if it works.'

'It better work then.' Duo snapped. Relena sighed. She could understand his mood, but didn't he realise that she was just as worried as he was? She slipped the ball back into her pocket.

'Get ready,' Quatre's voice warned them all.

**

**__**

Heero… Emma whispered urgently, **_Felflowne is yours, right? What are we gonna do? It has no pilot!_**

'Delta'll have to stay back,' Heero told the others, 'there's no pilot for it, and it's damaged.'

The others groaned as the realisation sank in. Delta was very powerful, and would have been a great asset to them.

'Wouldn't've been able to use it anyway,' Hayley said, 'Otashki told me it'd been pre-programmed when they were building it. Only Trensa could pilot it.'

'Oh great!' chorused several voices.

Relena was puzzled.

__

But, Emma, the thing belongs to Kaia…

'No,' said Emma aloud, to the confusion of the others, 'just drop it, ok?'

Admonished, Relena fell silent.

'Out!' cried Wufei, and one by one the Gundams exited the hangar. Kaia watched the heavy doors slide shut, and bolt themselves after them.

She looked up at the invalid Felflowne.

**

Outside, the battle had begun, and it was clear from the first second that it was not going to be easy for the defenders. Ground to air missiles co-ordinated by Trowa and Quatre had managed to all but decimate the attacking forces, but the ones that had survived were the toughest out of them.

Doloria stayed well back, its tail pointing towards the sea. The rest of the Gundams spread out in a horseshoe pattern, ready.

'Just like old times,' Hayley laughed.

Emma didn't think it was funny, her hands were tightly gripping Eron's control sticks.

A little later, Hayley wasn't seeing the funny side anymore. Their attackers had managed to disable Shenlong and Deathscythe, much to Duo's spitting fury, and Heavyarms was out of ammunition. Doloria had fended all attacks away from the main building, but hadn't destroyed any suits, so they kept going back.

Eron lay on its side, and no matter how many radio hails Hayley put out to Emma, she didn't answer.

Sandrock, Zero and Espion were encircled.

'We need to break their line somehow…' Hayley said desperately.

'I'm all out of ammunition,' said Quatre wearily, 'what do you suggest?'

'Call Doloria over here!'

'Not… an option…'

**

Kaia watched in horror as her friends, as she thought of them, were boxed in.

I have to try, she thought, and began clambering up the side of Delta.

**

'Why not?' cried Hayley, 'we're running outta options here!'

'Relena is unconscious,' said Quatre quietly.

'Screw it! I'm going!'

'Hayley, no!' The sound of Heero's voice startled Quatre, but made no difference as Espion lowered its head and charged.

**

Kaia put her hands on the controls, willing herself to remember them instantly. Suddenly a shrill alarm went off, causing her to clap her hands over her ears.

'Please! Please let me help them!'

The alarm stopped. The wall in front of her gradually faded from opaque to transparent. Radar screens and heat sensors switched themselves on.

She pushed the stick forwards, and was nearly thrown out of the seat by Delta's loping motion.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed the stick forward all the way and braced herself.

**

The ring closed around Zero and Sandrock, cutting them off from Espion. The attacking Leos peppered the already damaged MS with automatic fire, buzzing around the head like angry wasps.

Then, from the back, a Taurus powered forward and aimed a beam cannon at Espion at point blank range, then fired.

**

'Hayley!'

Espion's Gundanium protection was ripped apart, and it crashed into the ground, pieces of plating falling all around it.

**

Mizumi flexed his fingers.

'Now, I'll kill you.'

**

Quatre hailed frantically on all frequencies.

'Hayley, Hayley please answer me!'

**

Hayley lay inside the cockpit of Espion, her arm badly twisted but still intact, and her head feeling as though it was on fire.

Pain burned. Anger burned hotter. She would not lose! For Emma's sake…For…For…

Her head swam.

'Trensa,' she whispered, everything going blurry.

**

'She's lost consciousness,' said Quatre tightly. Heero didn't say anything. He considered for a moment, then decided that this was the worst he'd ever felt in his entire life.

'We'll join her in a moment,' he growled, but their guards were no longer attacking, simply guarding them.

**

They were following the Captain's orders.

'Leave a few Gundams intact,' he told them coldly, 'I want to destroy them myself.'

**

To the horror of Heero and Quatre, the Taurus was not through with the broken Gundam Alpha. It lowered its beam cannon again, pointing it straight at the head of Espion. The plating, they knew, would not stand up to another impact like the last. The head would implode, and Hayley would be killed.

They fought to escape, but they were grossly outnumbered.

**

Inside Espion, Hayley blearily opened her eyes and looked up into the barrel of the weapon.

She sighed.

'I'll see you again, Anya,' she whispered, as the Taurus prepared to fire.

Then the ground shook, and a shadow blotted the sun for a second. Mizumi looked up, then powered his Taurus backwards as quick as it would go.

He narrowly avoided being landed on by Gundam Delta.

**

Kaia tried not to look at the mangled wreck that was Espion, but instead focused her attention on the Taurus.

**

Mizumi slammed the controls into forward gear, this was it.

'I'll avenge you, Fiko-kun!'

Kaia had no answer.

Her fingers ran lightly over the controls, some of which, (which spooked her), weren't connected to anything, and twin flares blinded her attacker, before perforating his MS neatly, and destroying it.

**

'D-Delta…' gasped Quatre.

There really was nothing else he could think of to say.

**

Kaia was amazed at how the old Gundam responded so quickly, and seemed to know what she wanted. A force that was not her mind drew her hands to where they needed to be on the controls, to start with, but after a few minutes she had them mastered.

Without their captain, the remaining troops opted for plan B, an all out attack, but Heero and Quatre were ready, fighting back hard.

Kaia dodged swiftly as she was fired at, and used Delta's claws, teeth and weaponry to good effect. This was… what she was meant to do… this was her purpose.

Quatre gasped as Felflowne turned sharply into a Leo that had been pursuing him, and perforated it with gunfire. It went down. Another Taurus loomed behind Delta, and Quatre made to shout, but the agile Gundam sprung around before he had the chance and cut it down.

Very soon, all the enemy MS were destroyed.

**

There was radio silence.

**

Hayley opened her eyes again. She was still alive. She looked up out of her viewscreen. Felflowne stood over her.

'You… saved me… Is that you, Trensa…?' But before she got a reply, she slumped forward and blacked out again.

'No,' said Kaia, unaware that Hayley was no longer able to hear her, 'it's me, Kaia.'

**

The clean up took a very long time. Between them, Heavyarms, Sandrock, Zero and Felflowne ferried the mangled MS belonging to their friends inside.

Looking inside each one was a rather daunting prospect. Duo lifted Emma gently out of Eron and handed her to Trowa.

'She'll be okay,' he said softly, and Trowa nodded.

Quatre opened the hatch on Doloria and Relena climbed out herself with only a little support. She'd regained consciousness during transit.

Wufei had only minor scrapes. They all looked at the mess that had only an hour ago been a fine, functional MS.

'Let's get her out,' said Duo quietly.

It wasn't easy. Sheared platework was as sharp as razors, and when Heero struggled with the semi-melted hatch, a hidden blade sliced all up his arm. He had to retreat, as blood was going everywhere.

Between them, Duo and Quatre tugged the door open, and then everyone heard a voice say-

'About time, you guys.'

Hayley was awake again.

Her head popped out of the hatch, and with no help from either of her rescuers, she climbed out of the hatch and down to the ground.

'Thanks,' she said.

**

Later on, while Emma and Kaia were resting, Hayley was rest_less_. Apart from feeling beat up and battered, her only wound was on her forehead, where she'd hit it on the control panel. 

Hayley poked her head around into the room where Heero sat trying to bind up his entire arm. His left hand was useless, so he was having trouble. She'd go in and give him a hand! It was only fair, seeing as the wound had been caused by him trying to rescue her.

She paused. Would he accept help from her? He was a very complicated person, from what she'd seen.

Aw hell, what was the worst thing he could do?

She walked in.

He looked up at her, before returning his attention to his task. He didn't react when she crouched down beside him and took the bandage ends from him, proceeding to tie them up swiftly.

'You did well,' he said, when she'd finished. She looked up.

'No I didn't,' she said sadly, 'Emma and… Emma'll never let me hear the end of it.'

She still didn't know who he was.

This shouldn't've bothered him, but it did. He felt he'd betrayed her. Hayley had been the thing keeping him human through his training. When he'd lost her, he'd lost a large part of his humanity. Was it gone forever?

When that Taurus had levelled the weapon at Espion, he'd felt a wrench somewhere deep inside. He'd lost her and found her again. At that moment, it had looked like he would lose her once again.

And Emma had _known_. Even back at the beginning she had. She'd always given him these knowing little looks when she caught him looking at Hayley.

__

So, are you gonna tell her today?

She'd ask, knowing full well that he wouldn't.

And he couldn't now, either. Too much had happened. They both had a few more scars than they'd had back then. He had a reputation for being stoic and unfeeling. He couldn't just throw that away, no matter how he felt right now.

But he had to say something. He moved his arm and winced a little, but the bandages didn't move at all.

'Thanks,' he said, causing her to look at him in surprise.

'That's okay,' she said, smiling.

Somewhere deep inside, Heero wanted SO much to smile back at her.

'Can I talk to you?' he asked quietly.

'Sure,' she said, and sat down next to him on the sofa.

'Hayley, I've got a confession to make to you. It'll probably make you unhappy, so I'm sorry.'

'C'mon, out with it, you don't like me do you?' Hayley laughed, 'well, I think I'll get over that.'

'No,' it's about… '

He struggled to find the words.

Hayley just looked at him.

'I wish I was Empathic, like Emma,' he said finally.

Hayley chuckled.

'It about the Original Operation.'

She stopped laughing.

'I… was told never to mention it to anyone again, ever, under pain of death,' he said flatly.

'Who forbade you?' said Hayley quietly.

'The Doctor. I was the only known survivor.'

'YOU were?' She looked at him. Then she looked harder.

'That was why I never told you who I was. I was conditioned to obey.'

Hayley couldn't speak.

'I'm sorry.'

'You're… sorry?' She was shaking. He knew she never cried.

'Emma was furious, and now I see why. I should have told you.'

'Every day…' Hayley seemed to be shuddering, and when she turned on him he was shocked to see tears filling her eyes and running down her face. She lashed out with her fist and caught him in the stomach. He took it. He knew he deserved it. Hayley slumped forward, her sobs seeming to rip into him.

When she finally raised her head again, she said, 'I've missed you every day. Tortured myself about how your death was my fault! I… I missed you!'

With that, she flung her arms around him and pulled him close.

Wincing slightly (he ignored it), he copied her motion, sliding his arms around her waist.

'You're crying.' He said numbly.

She leant back and wiped her face.

Not really knowing what he was doing, he eased her hand away and brushed the tears off himself. She reached her hand up again and covered his hand with her own.

For a moment neither of them said anything.

'Don't cry,' he said finally, 'I'm not worth it. I hate seeing you cry.'

'Of course you're worth it,' she said softly, leaning forwards so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

'You helped me so much when we were training together,' Heero said, unconsciously holding her tighter, 'out there… back then… I thought I'd lose you again.'

'I was always here,' she whispered, 'I wish we could've been together, all of us I mean, for longer than we have been.'

Heero brushed her shoulder where bruises were beginning. He knew she didn't bruise easily. He placed his hand over her shoulder softly, feeling the warmth.

She gasped and moved back again so she could look at him, laughed softly and rested her forehead on his so their noses were touching.

Then, without a single conscious thought, Heero leaned swiftly upward, bringing their lips together.

Hayley froze, lost, but then relaxed against him. As they broke apart, Heero brushed some hair out of her face, and she noticed his hand was shaking.

'Trensa,' she sighed, 'I don't know what's happening, but I don't want it to stop.'

He took that as a signal, and kissed her again. This time, however, he slowed it down, and, with his good hand, ran her hair through his fingers. He was startled slightly when she let her lips part, but instantly responded by caressing her tongue with his own. This time, when they leant away from each other, their breath was coming in pants, and he felt, by placing a hand over her heart, that it was beating as hard as his was.

'I… love you.' He whispered, his voice gone, 'I think I fell in love with you when we were together first. When you first got Espion…'

Hayley held him tightly, her lips still tingling.

'I can't believe you're really here,' she murmured, 'I'm not going to wake up, right…?'

'No,' he said, 'I promise.'

She snuggled closer, and he heard her breathing slow down and her pulse decelerate. She was asleep.

Heero watched her. Was he…happy? He didn't understand highs and lows as well as he used to. He was letting his eyes close slowly, lulled by Hayley's steady breathing, when a thought came to him.

He'd said that he loved her, but he hadn't been thinking. Thinking about it now, he realised that he really did.

He trusted the others, yes, but there was no-one he trusted as much and Hayley and Emma. He'd always slept alone, away from other people, if he possibly could. The thought of sharing body heat with someone else had been simply out of the question for him. He'd like to have at least a door between him and anyone else.

But now, here he was, dropping off to sleep, with another person actually sleeping _on _him! What had changed?

Nothing had changed, he decided. It was just that this person was special. She wasn't just another person, she was _his _person. They complimented each other. They loved each other.

Put like that, it seemed almost _too_ simple.

But, he reasoned, as Hayley shifted against him, sending a warm little tremor through his body, maybe the strongest, most enduring things in life _are_ the simplest things, the littlest words. Death, War, Hate, Love.

Clutching at the last word, Heero fell asleep.

***********************************************************************************

Felflowne :What's this *squints* Could it be… an update? After nearly two years? Gosh, there ya go. I don't know how FanFiction.Net refreshes new chapters, whether they go back to 'Just In' or not, so it may be that I get no reviews for this at all. I really don't know. *^_^*

Anyway… another chapter done! This is wrapping up now. Next chapter, the group splits. Half go off to space, and half stay behind to remedy the school situation. Just what is Relena's plan? We just don't know. No really. Even I don't.

Love

Fel xx


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